Arranged
by mrsgunsage
Summary: Hiccup and Astrid are arranged by their parents when they're 14. He's happy, she's furious. She spends a year taking her anger out on him and making him miserable. No longer willing to marry her and tired of being Berk's punching bag, he leaves after he heals from the fight with the Red Death. When he finally returns, he's not what Berk was expecting… and he's not alone.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hiccup smiled nervously from his place next to his father while the announcement of his betrothal was made. He knew this wasn't going to help his situation with the other boys in the village since all of them wanted his betrothed as their own, but he was willing to take a few extra lumps for the chance to finally be able to get to know Astrid. He's had random fantasies of being able to go to his father in a few years and asking him to arrange the match, but he'd never in his wildest imaginings thought that her father would be the one to petition his.

When Stoick finished speaking the great hall was silent, but then… everybody started to laugh. Everybody except the Hoffersons and Astrid. She was glaring at him. His face felt like the skin was literally being seared from the bones by the amount of hatred she was projecting at him. It struck him deeply that she could despise him so much when she barely knew him.

A few of Ingmar Hofferson's friends called out to him that this jest was in poor taste. Rather than joining their laughter and agreeing that the Chief and he had just fooled the entire village he stood and announced that the contracts were signed, and the wedding was set for when the pair turned twenty. With a flat look at Stoick, he told the crowd that he'd prefer it be done when they were eighteen, but apparently his new son would be learning governance at that time.

Hiccup had given up at trying to keep a smile on his face by this point. His thin shoulders were hunched, his eyes were downcast, and he was using every bit of will power he had to keep a neutral expression. Every male between the ages of twelve and twenty in the hall was sneering at him, whispering not so quietly (shouting and whispering were the same to Vikings) to their friends how unfair it was that Useless was the chief's son and could afford to outbid them. Several were offering to fight against him for her hand… of course they made sure to announce they were thinking to pit their own fists against any weapon that Useless might actually be able to lift because he was _that_ little of a threat to them. But the worst was that un-nerving glare coming from his intended. Her beautiful face was drawn into a snarl and her normally clear blue eyes were clouded with rage.

When Stoick and Ingmar finally managed to regain control of the hall, Edrea Hofferson noticed the look on her daughter's face and who it was directed at. Even though she fully supported her husband's decision to tie their daughter to Stoick's heir, she felt bad for the young man who would be her son. She'd hoped to take a softer approach to this, but the men wanted all of the legalities tied up now so that nobody else could interfere. She understood that of course, they'd started receiving offers for Astrid well before she'd grown from child to maiden after all. But to her way of thinking, doing this before Hiccup had a chance to hit a growth spurt and while he was still so bullied by the other children was not doing favors to either of them, given the nasty look her daughter was bestowing on the poor lad. Edrea stood and with a sharp word to her recalcitrant offspring, took the girl home until such time as she managed to remember the basic manners she'd been taught.

After calmly wishing her daughter a good night…only to have a door slammed in her face Edrea retired to her chair before the hearth and got lost in her memories.

She'd known Valka and her brother all her life, and though most on Berk would scoff, she was not lying when she said that Hiccup was the image of his uncle. Oh he had Stoick's hair and Valka's eyes, obviously… but Koen Ahlberg had been a tiny, clumsy boy that grew to be a fit and strong man; a fierce warrior. Valka had been taller than any Berkian woman; lithe and lean. As young children, they'd been tiny… literally the hiccups of their own village in Lapland. It was genetic in the Ahlberg line, they had Southern blood.

Lars Ahlberg was a merchant prince like his father and his grandfather before him. Also like his father and grandfather before him, he'd returned from a trading voyage one summer married to a petite woman from the Southern lands… who was already carrying his twins. Neither Valka nor Koen had gained their height and strength until their seventeenth summers. By then, Valka had already been long-since promised to Stoick, and Koen had gone to Southern Gaul to secure his mother's estate following the death of his maternal grandfather. Edrea herself met Ingmar when Stoick came to collect his bride and had been married and moving to Berk within weeks.

When Hiccup was born, exactly three people on Berk believed the wee mite would survive the winter: Stoick, Valka, and Edrea. Stoick believed because this was his son and he couldn't bear to think differently. Valka and Edrea believed because the babe's mother and uncle were living proof. Everyone else on Berk had taken one look at the tiny babe when Stoick presented him to the village and had offered condolences rather than congratulations. Even mother Gothi had been shaking her head sadly after seeing the Hooligan heir for the first time.

If only Valka had lived. That was a refrain that ran through her head every time she saw someone treating Hiccup unkindly.

If only Valka had lived… Hiccup and Astrid would have been able to grow up together. Leaving his son's care to Spitelout and his sullen, beaten-down wife while he was busy overseeing the village wasn't Stoick's biggest failure as a father, but it wasn't his finest moment either. Gerda Jorgenson had no patience for the son of her half-brother and spoiled her own son terribly. The few times Edrea had brought Astrid over hoping the two babies could play together, the older toddler had caused problems and thrown tantrums until Gerda finally asked Edrea not to return.

If only Valka had lived… maybe Koen and Stoick wouldn't have ended their relationship with drawn swords and threats of death, their grief momentarily overtaking their common sense and pride slamming that final door. Having Koen visit would have been of immeasurable comfort and help to Hiccup because Koen understood the issues his nephew was facing due to his small stature and how to handle them.

If only Valka had lived… maybe Stoick would have some type of common ground with Hiccup. Stoick was a brave man and a great leader, but he wasn't possessed of the same quick cleverness and sly sarcasm of his son. Stoick was a warrior, Hiccup loved working in the forge with Gobber and inventing. Stoick had a seething hatred of dragons, Hiccup had shown little interest or talent in killing anything.

But Valka hadn't lived. Astrid and Hiccup weren't friends. Koen wasn't around to give guidance and affection to his nephew. Stoick couldn't relate to the small, clever, clumsy boy he'd sired who had no interest in being a warrior and so much talent in other areas. It was all too obvious to everyone in Berk that Stoick loved his son… but he didn't know how to deal with a young man that was so polar opposite of himself and all that he believed to be proper for a Viking. As time passed, Stoick's love couldn't hide his disappointment any longer. Father and son had very little to say to each other anymore.

Edrea heard Astrid stomping about in her room, muttering angrily. She could only entreat Thor and Freya that Astrid would calm down and give Hiccup a chance, but she feared that wouldn't happen. Her daughter could hold a grudge until it died of old age and had the uncontrollable temper that all women born of the Hofferson bloodlines possessed. It made them warrior women of unparalleled caliber, but it could also make them cold and hateful. Neither of Ingmar's sisters had married, because no man was willing to face their rage for daring to try. They'd been legendary shield maidens and died glorious deaths in battle. It terrified Edrea that Astrid idolized her aunts so much.

Across the village, Hiccup didn't even bother to pretend he wasn't listening to his father and Ingmar Hofferson talking. He hoped to hear something he could use as an ice breaker with Astrid, but all he was hearing was his father offering to dissolve the contract. Stoick hadn't noticed his own sons' reaction to the announcement, but he'd definitely noticed the anger and distress it was causing his prized student. Hiccup realized bitterly that his father only accepted the Hofferson's offer because he didn't expect any other family in the village to want his gawky son married to one of their girls.

Aside from Gobber, Ingmar and Edrea had been the only adults to give him any notice once he'd proven incompetent as a Viking and earned his title of Useless. Ingmar was the town's animal healer. He spent quite a bit of time at the forge every week getting his various instrument blades re-edged or sharpened. Because it was fine detail work, Gobber always left it to Hiccup. His hook was suitable for holding larger weapons but small implements were difficult for him. During these times, Ingmar would speak to him as if he had an opinion worth hearing, and even took his suggestions for improvements to some of his tools. He knew Edrea had been a friend of his mothers', and she went out of her way to stop the other children from treating him poorly whenever she could.

Before the announcement last night, Astrid hadn't been one of the teens that actively harassed him. In fact, he doubted he crossed her mind at all unless it was because he'd bollixed up another experiment and brought the wrath of Berk down on his head again. Now she probably hated him more than Snotlout did. He just didn't understand why that made him feel like he'd taken a spear to the chest.

**One Year Later**

Hiccup didn't understand what he was hearing at first. His head was fuzzy and his body was screaming in pain. Memories were wheeling through his head at a fast clip, but then he heard a voice that jolted all of the chaos in his head to a stop. It was _her_ voice. Astrid. The girl who'd once been his dream come true, but now was the living embodiment of all of his nightmares.

Given her treatment of him for the past year, he didn't understand why she was even in his house. Unless she'd come to finish him off while he was too weak to escape her. Even in his own head the thought was bitter and resigned rather than sarcastic.

He'd held out hope for the first few months that she would talk to him and they could get to know each other better. He'd given all the obligatory good faith gestures of bringing her flowers, trying to walk her home from the great hall in the evenings, and he'd even made her a beautiful axe for her fifteenth birthday. She'd gone from silently glaring at him, to verbally berating him, to hitting him any time he was within her reach, and then to egging on other boys to physically attack him.

He'd finally taken the hint after she took the axe he'd made just for her and thrown it off the cliff into the harbor. It had taken him a months' worth of labor to earn the materials from Gobber and another two months to make with one month of that being the painstaking detail he'd put into decorating the blades with filigreed Celtic knots and runes of protection carefully woven through the design. Gobber told him it was the finest weapon he'd ever seen… and she'd thrown it away without even bothering to look at it. The last small, hopeful part of him had given up on having a good life with Astrid while he watched the carefully polished steel winking brightly in the sun as it hurtled towards the ocean and disappeared with a sickening plunking noise.

He never knew that after he nodded slowly and walked away silently that she felt remorse for her rash action. But her pride wouldn't let her apologize to Useless, and he was done fighting a losing battle.

He'd asked his father that very afternoon to dissolve the contracts, only to be told bluntly that he had no other marriage prospects, on Berk or amongst Stoick's allies. Since he was heir, and he had no other marriage prospects, there was nothing his father could or would do to extricate him from the situation. Only Astrid's father could dissolve the contracts at this point. Hiccup thought briefly of telling her father what she'd done and why he wanted out, but he respected the man and his wife too much to actually tell them the lows their beloved daughter was capable of sinking to. He figured that he wouldn't be the first leader's child bartered away into a loveless marriage. He was already hated by his entire village and disdained by his only blood relative; by his own estimation, if his life would never get any better at least it couldn't get any worse.

A tingling burn screamed down his left leg breaking him from his memories, and without stopping to think about what he was doing he sat up and grabbed for the offending limb only for his fingers to encounter … nothing. In horror he flung the covers off of his body and stared at the halfway healed mangled lump of flesh that used to be his lower leg. He managed to choke back his scream, but couldn't hold in the high-pitched keening whine that worked out of his throat. Seconds later, Toothless was bursting through his door puffed up in warning and checking every inch of Hiccup's room for invisible threats.

Once the Night Fury was satisfied that his human was safe, he sat and gave the boy a quizzical glance that Hiccup easily interpreted as the dragon wanting to know if he was alright. But he wasn't. He really wasn't alright this time. He felt his grip on sanity loosen for an instant, but hearing _her_ voice again brought him back from the edge. He was found lacking enough by his intended, he refused to allow her to see him have a breakdown on top of everything else she put him through.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment, before she asked in a hesitant voice if she could bring him anything. He couldn't keep the baffled look off his face at what was almost a kind gesture from a decidedly unkind girl, but shook his head no and laid back down. He feigned sleep, hoping she would leave.

Another set of footsteps enter his room and a female voice he can't place asks if Useless had woken up or not. He listens as his betrothed explains that he'd seemed out of it, not really cognizant of what he was doing before he fell back to sleep. The rougher voice teases Astrid that she was going soft for Useless. The last thing Hiccup hears before he truly does lose consciousness again is _her_ angry voice saying it would have been better for herself and all of Berk if he'd died fighting the Red Death.

**4 Months Later**

Hiccup stood passively, listening to Stoick rail and rant at him. Irresponsible. Childish. Selfish. He might be missing a few bullet points, but there is no mistaking Stoick is literally beside himself with rage. When the old man ran out of steam, Hiccup mounted Toothless and renewed his promise to send a monthly letter… and then he was gone.

He doesn't look back, so he doesn't see his father wiping a tear away as he fades from the older man's view. 


	2. Chapter 2

**I had such a great response to the first chapter, thank you all so much! Since I'm nearly done writing the story and this next chapter is the final bit of exposition I decided to go ahead and post it now. P.S. Sorry I had to go back in and edit the chapter because apparently the line breaks I used weren't correct and I had to separate the sections somehow. If anybody knows how I can do it, leave me a message. I tried dashes and stars.**

…

Chapter 2

 _Father,_

 _As promised, your first letter via Terrible Terror Mail Service. I am currently being hosted by Mogodon of the Meathead tribe. He is shaping up to be an excellent dragon tamer and has been happy to allow me a temporary place on his council as Dragon Master for the duration of my visit. It looks like it may take six months to one year per tribe I visit in the archipelago, so I'm sure all of Berk will rejoice to be without Useless for the next several years._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Ingmar,_

 _As you asked, I did speak with the local animal healer here on Meathead Island and sketched copies of some of his tools that you don't currently use and what their purpose is. He plans on sending you a Terror Mail later this week as he feels it's a good idea for all of the healers of the archipelago to have a way to share knowledge and ideas with each other._

 _I would like your opinion on some minor procedures that might be adapted to work on dragons, but my time grows short for the moment. I will send another letter in the next few weeks._

 _Please give my fondest regards to Edrea. I hope your daughter is in good health._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Father,_

 _After nine months, I feel that Mogadon has a good handle on dragon training and riding. I will probably miss my next scheduled correspondence as Toothless and I will be taking a bit of a side trek before heading to Bashem Island._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Ingmar,_

 _Please thank Edrea for the gauntlets and cowl she sent me, they are indeed a comfort while I'm up on Toothless in the cold. I had no idea she was so talented with leather work. Gobber would pay her half her weight in silver if she'd ply needle to leather for him, he has no way of doing it himself._

 _I have learned a great deal about the day to day running of a village from Mogadon, and I have developed a great fondness for him that he returns. He has requested that I call him Uncle, and I must confess I was happy to comply. Other than yourself and Gobber, I'd forgotten what a positive male influence felt like._

 _Give my fondest regards to Edrea. I hope your daughter is in good health._

 _Hiccup_

… **..**

Stoick, Ingmar, Edrea, and Astrid sat with twenty seven notes lined up, nine on Stoick's side of the table and eighteen on Ingmar's. Stoick is unable to hide the wince of pain when he is given proof positive that his son would rather communicate with his future father in law than with his own father. All four wear long faces. Ingmar and Edrea also have irritated looks of disappointment that they kept shooting at their sullen, red-faced daughter.

Last week when Hiccup sent his final notes from Meathead Island, Edrea decided to go offer her services to Gobber as Hiccup suggested. She'd received more than coin for her fine needlework from the old smithy… she'd received a nasty shock about her daughter. Gobber innocently inquired whether Astrid liked the axe Hiccup had made for her before he left, or if she might need it rebalanced as he hadn't seen her bring it in to be sharpened or re-edged.

When they finally pulled the story from Astrid, their shame in her was palpable. They'd forced her to recount every nasty word, every mean deed, and every fight she'd deliberately encouraged against her betrothed. Ingmar had been very tempted to free Hiccup from the marriage contract, decry his daughter for her misdeeds before the village, and let the Jorgenson boy have her, but Edrea had exhorted him to keep a cool head in the matter. He still had trouble looking his daughter in the eye, he never thought she could be so callous and mean.

Stoick gathered up his nine letters… one for each month as Hiccup promised him and can't stop the pang in his chest. His letters from his son are very impersonal, short missives that deal mainly with business matters. He has no idea what his son's day to day life is like. He has no idea if he is taking care of his amputated leg properly. Hiccup won't answer such questions from him anyways… only business. And then there is the matter of the manner of address. He was never "father". Even when things between the two of them were at their most strained Hiccup still called him Dad. He also noticed in the Hofferson's letters Edrea always received warm wishes, while Astrid was never once mentioned by name. Each note ends with "I hope your daughter is in good health."

It's a very telling apathy from a boy who used to wear his heart so openly upon his sleeve.

Ingmar had been very quick to hammer that point home to his daughter. That she had taken the affections of her own intended and turned them against herself. Stoick never thought he would see Astrid Hofferson cry, but that night as she finally began to comprehend what her ugly temper and stupid pride had cost her… he did.

**3 months later**

 _Father,_

 _I apologize for the length of time between my last letter and now. My side trek turned into a full blown voyage. I am finally on Bashem Island and I fully anticipate being here for at least a year. Dovon is tutoring me in trade agreements in exchange for my services as Dragon Master and has given me a temporary assignment as assistant to his Trading Master. My time here will not be in vain._

 _By the by… Uncle Koen and I have quite a bit in common. I wondered if you ever knew that._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Ingmar and Edrea,_

 _I cannot lie and pretend an affection for your daughter that I no longer feel. Two years ago had you asked me, my fondest wish would have been to give her the sun, moon, and stars at her slightest whim. Now, I know that the only thing between us will be duty. Duty I am fully prepared to perform, unwilling as I am, because I understand the necessity of giving Berk an Heir._

 _If we are wed, I promise you now that I will treat her well. I will never shame, degrade, or physically harm her. But no… I will never again trust her with my heart. I understand if you wish to void the contract. Truthfully, I would be more saddened by the loss of you as my new parents than I would be by the loss of your daughter._

 _Edrea, my Uncle Koen wished me to send you his greetings. He regrets that he has been unable to contact you over the years since the death of my mother, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Stoick apparently checked all incoming letters and removed anything from him, your home village, or Koen's holdings in Gaul._

 _My fondest regards. I hope your daughter is in good health._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Stoick,_

 _My time on Bashem is drawing to an end. Dovon actually allowed me to lead a trade expedition to a huge market town on the mainland this past summer. Since I have been smithing in my off time to keep my skills sharp, I had a good bit of my own wares to trade and I feel for an inexperienced youth on his first outing I did very well._

 _Please expect an envoy from Dovon in the next month as he's very interested in trading with Berk for the "special" iron that I gave Gobber the recipe for._

 _Uncle Koen and I are travelling together currently and he is teaching me swordsmanship. He will be a large part of my life from now on, so I would like to request that you lift his ban from stepping foot on Berk and revoke the "kill on sight" orders._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Ingmar,_

 _This may be my last letter for a while. I keep details painfully edited when I write to Stoick, but I need time to get my head around the fact that he KNEW for my entire life that my mother and uncle were small and grew into themselves… but scorned me anyways. Maybe my size has nothing to do with his disregard, but thinking that my own father might just despise me for the person I am hurts. So much._

 _Koen is teaching me swordsmanship. Did you know he is also left handed? My skill with weapons increased rapidly once he realized the weapons training on Berk only allowed for right handed learning and began teaching me properly._

 _I feel so much bitterness towards Stoick at the moment, and it hurts me to feel that way about the man who gave me life. But he knew I would most likely grow as Mother and Koen did and withheld that information. He knew I was left handed, but he made no attempts to have me train with weapons in a manner natural to me and berated me for failing when I couldn't just do it his way._

 _But the worst thing is that he kept my uncle from me! I didn't even know I had an uncle! I spent my entire life thinking that I was a total and complete disappointment to my only living blood relative who bothered to acknowledge me, when Koen was bribing and begging Trader Johann for YEARS just to get a few words about my well-being._

 _I don't know how to process this, Ingmar! Please, as the only man I can consider a "father" give me your advice. How can I get over this?_

 _My warmest regards to Edrea, as always. I hope your daughter is in good health._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Astrid,_

 _I was surprised when your letter arrived. I am in good health, and my continued wish is that you are as well._

 _As for your apology, I cannot accept it at this time. Until I am actually in Berk and able to hear your voice, see the expression on your face as we speak… it's just empty words on paper. If you are sincere and wish to speak with me when I return, I will make time for you. We may not bear any love for each other, but I will never be cruel to you just because I no longer wish to marry you._

 _My personal hope is that you will ask your father to void the contract before I return. I left Berk without giving any indication of whether or not I would return in time to marry you according to the terms agreed upon, so you have a perfectly legal reason to leave me that will not reflect badly on you at all._

 _Hiccup_

… **.**

Ingmar knew Hiccup thought that his correspondence was kept in confidence, but Stoick always demanded to see it knowing Ingmar was getting more personal details of Hiccup's time than he was. This time, he was going against his chief and saying he'd received no letter. He'd be devastated if he knew how badly damaged his relationship with his only son truly was… but then again if Stoick didn't know he couldn't try to fix things.

After Astrid came to him with tears in her eyes and showed him the letter she'd received, he was truly beginning to think it might be better for all involved if he did terminate the betrothal contract. But in an unanticipated move, his daughter asked him not to. He wasn't sure if it was strictly so she could avoid the Jorgenson boy, or if she'd had a change of heart and hoped to repair things with Hiccup.

Edrea's advice was to let the contract stand until Hiccup returned to Berk. If the couple were unable to mend their differences, they would do their best to keep the Jorgensons' son from finding out before they could get Astrid away from Berk. Hiccup spoke so highly of Mogadon and Dovon… perhaps Ingmar could take her to Meathead Island or to Bashem Island and let her choose a new husband there. Sadly, it looked like Edrea and Valka's fondest wish from during their pregnancies would not be coming true.

**1 Year Later**

 _Ingmar,_

 _I have been in excellent health, I'm sorry to worry Edrea with my lack of communication. I don't like putting you in what I am sure is an uncomfortable position with my father regarding our correspondence, so when I stopped writing to him I thought it best to stop writing to you as well. If it will ease Edrea's mind I will resume sending you notes when I move on to a new place._

 _I've been around the archipelago a few times, been to the Southlands, and even been tested in battle. I have some interesting stories to share in the Great Hall when I return. Please reassure Edrea that I have been well looked after and safe. My aunt Avita coddles me unbearably at times, but she has been unable to have children of her own so I don't complain when she mothers me._

 _One matter I must discuss with you, and I hope I don't anger you too much… In the interests of honesty I must tell you, that I have fallen in love with Dovon's daughter. I am involved with her, and I want to marry her. My father assured me before I left Berk that he would not do anything to end this contract between myself and your daughter, so I must put this matter to you, and hope you will take pity on my heart._

 _Hiccup_

…

**2 Years Later**

 _Stoick,_

 _I did receive your letters over the past few years. I apologize for not replying, but I needed time to come to terms with the shambles our relationship had been in for ages, and with the deceptions I uncovered when I found Koen._

 _I have spent a lot of time thinking and discussing my feelings with Koen and Ingmar, and I do believe I am at a point where I can let my bitterness and anger go. I have missed you, and as much as you probably don't believe it I do love you… Dad._

 _Koen and I will be bringing our people home within the next six months. We'll need accommodations for ourselves and our dragons. I should have sent enough gold to cover the cost of the labor for your men. If not, I'll take care of them when I get there._

 _Koen isn't planning on staying permanently, but he would like a small house for himself and his wife so they can visit frequently. I will need a house, and as I'm sure Ingmar mentioned to you, the Murderous Tribe as a whole wasn't amenable to training and living with dragons, but a few of their people wanted to so they came with me. There are two women, Kairi and Luka. They want to share a small house as they don't feel comfortable living alone in the midst of unfamiliar people. Luka's brother Sven will live in Koen's house to see to the upkeep when Koen isn't here. Othere wants to take care of his own home as he's a carpenter by trade, so he'll just need a clearing made. I have enclosed the plans I designed for our houses and dragon stables. We would like to be grouped near each other, but out of the main village._

 _Hiccup_

…

 _Ingmar,_

 _I do understand why you and Edrea left the contract in place after what happened with my idiot cousin and that poor girl from the Peaceful Lands. I assumed that you didn't want your daughter to appear available. I never minded letting you use the contract to protect her, and I don't blame you at all._

 _But you have known my mind on this matter for the past few years. I have found something better than cold duty for the sake of Berk, and I will never marry your daughter. I beg you now, if you hold any affection for me at all to set me free._

 _My lady and I are marrying at the end of this month. Whether we have that right or not, by Viking law, is in your hands. We are willing to appear before my father long enough for me to formally be disowned as heir of Berk, if necessary._

 _Whether you end this betrothal or not, I respect and love you both far too much to just show up with my wife in tow without letting you know beforehand so you can make suitable arrangements for your daughter's safety._

 _I am sorry._

 _Hiccup_

…

 **Chapter 2 notes: I'm envisioning the Terrible Terror Mail Service to be something close to post owls in Harry Potter. Give a Terror a letter or package, tell it who to find and it's all handled from there. I decided on the letter format for this chapter because… why not? Hiccup isn't home, and what all he does while he's away isn't central to where the story is going at this time. What he's saying to the people back on Berk is though.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Because I continue to receive such great feedback from you guys and because I'm so far ahead with chapters, I decided not to make you wait until Monday for this one after all. Next week will be spottier with updates because I am taking the national board exam for my vet tech license next Friday and I need to study.**

So here we go, Back to Berk.

Chapter 3

As the group begins their descent, Hiccup is surprised to see a good chunk of Berk has shown up to witness their arrival but he shrugs it off to morbid curiosity.

"Looks like they came to welcome you home, babe."

He scoffs quietly, "More like they came to stone me and make me leave again."

He knows Cami believes him when he tells her how badly he was treated on Berk, but she can't truly understand what it felt like for him to grow up unloved by his father and hated by his tribe. She was raised by an adoring mother, doted on by her older sister, and beloved by her entire tribe. It was unusual among the women of the Bog to acknowledge who fathered their daughters, but Bertha had done so for both of her girls, and Cami's birth father also acknowledged her so she was welcome with his tribe as well.

He raises his arm in signal to the rest of their party and they quickly land their dragons. Hiccup was uncomfortable enough with coming back to Berk that he insisted on a little subterfuge so he could gauge reactions before he reveals himself. Since Toothless can't fly solo, and Hiccup didn't want to be on him as they came into Berk, he'd doubled up on Cami's purple Skrill. Luka and Kairi are riding Toothless, while Luka's Nadder and Kairi's Stormcutter are carrying a majority of the baggage and equipment. _  
_

Toothless lands first, followed quickly by the others. Hiccup sees his father and the Hoffersons immediately make a beeline for Toothless, only to draw up short when they realize instead of one scrawny boy there are two petite women on the Night Fury's back.

Koen is off his Changewing in a flash and helping the girls keep Toothless calm. The dragon recognizes several people he knew before they left Berk and wants to greet them, but their group wants to stay on alert and be ready to leave quickly if things go badly.

Once Koen's helped the girls reign in the impatient Night Fury, he turns to face the assembled Berkians. His helmet hides his face and age, so it's not at all surprising that Stoick thinks the man calming Toothless must be his son.

"Hiccup? It's good to see you again, son…"

He takes his helmet off, "Not son. Brother. And it's good to see you as well. I know our last meeting was not pleasant, but I have missed you over the years, Stoick."

Stoick placed a hand on Koen's shoulder, and Koen reciprocates on the opposite side; a warrior's greeting. "Brother. I've missed you too, Koen. Thank you for being there for my son when I didn't know how to these past years. You should have been here the entire time…"

Koen stops him gently, "We can discuss this at a later time, Brother."

Two of the three other men have come to stand on either side of and slightly behind Koen as if to protect him, and Stoick isn't even about to hazard a guess which one of them is his son at this point. He's sure it's not the giant climbing off of the massive dark grey Gronkle, just because of the man's excessive height and extreme build. The other two men are tall and solid, but not overly bulky. Koen is the smallest of the four men by a slim margin and his brother by marriage is not exactly a little man. The women are of varying heights and they all have their faces and heads covered by riding gear, but they put him in mind of Valka. Lithe and strong.

"Welcome to Berk, lads. And you as well, ladies."

In a move so synchronous it almost looks rehearsed, the two men remove their helmets, and there is a collective gasp from the citizens of Berk when they see what five years have done to Hiccup.

He tops six feet in height by at least three inches, and while he'll never attain his father's bulk he doesn't look weak or incapable any longer. His reddish brown hair is shaggy around his face and brushing against his shoulders, with two braids worked in it behind an ear and tied off with blood-dyed leather. It has to be something he picked up during his time with the Bog Burglars, because that is how they mark the occasion of killing an especially strong or respected opponent in battle. He has enough scruff that it looks like he might be growing it out into a beard, possibly to cover the jagged scar under his right cheekbone. His eyes are still vibrantly green but there is the cautious look of a man who's already seen too much.

He's also armed to the teeth, which is definitely something Berk is unused to seeing. He has a wickedly crooked long dagger strapped to the outside of his left thigh, a finely wrought sword hanging from his right hip, and a double bladed axe strapped to his back. They have no idea that the visible weapons constitute only a portion of what he's actually carrying and are never what he goes for first in a fight.

Stoick can't help himself and looks down to Hiccup's missing leg. He hadn't seen the flash of the metal prosthetic which along with the helmets hindered him in recognizing which man was his son at a glance.

"I've redesigned it a few times. Having it plainly seen in battle was like wearing a target. So I wear the full leg of my pants over it, and the entire thing is covered in dragon hide now. Harder to see, nearly impossible to slice with a blade and fireproof."

Before Stoick can say anything, Snotlout pushes to the front of the crowd.

"You can't seriously be believing this? Useless is actually expecting us to believe he survived battle? What'd he do? Trip over his enemies and knock them…"

In a show of speed nobody outside of his own people would have expected, Hiccup has the shorter, heavier man on his knees with a blade tucked securely up against his neck. There is just enough tension that Snotlout can feel a small trickle of blood and he knows the slightest movement will be his last.

Hiccup fists his hand tighter and yanks Snotlout's head back roughly. He takes no joy in the look of fear on his cousin's face, but his days of allowing Berk to abuse him are long since done.

His voice carries, soft but deadly through the now silent clearing.

"The next person, man or woman, to call me Useless will paint my blades red with their blood. Do not test me on this. I came back out of obligation to my father, not love for this tribe."

He kicks his cousin out of his way while almost absently sheathing the slim knife in the hidden holster on his right sleeve, walks over to Mango (why she insisted on naming a Skrill something as innocuous as Mango, he will never understand) and reaches up to help Cami down. 'Not that she needed my help', he thinks wryly to himself. She's got her bow in hand and an arrow ready to loose at anybody who may have thought about interrupting Snotlout's long-needed lesson in manners.

"Father, if you could point us towards our houses, we'd like to get settled and rest a bit before we join you all in the Great Hall for dinner."

Stoick is still in shock from seeing his son move with such lethal purpose and limply gestures to the south. "You lot are about two miles from the rest of the village. We followed your plans, but we didn't realize you had such huge dragons… we may have to re-do the stables."

Hiccup grins and thanks him, assuring him that their builder will be up to the challenge of any necessary modifications. For one brief moment Stoick feels like he has his carefree son back instead of the brutal, reserved stranger who returned to Berk.

Hiccup grabs the side of Mango's harness, calls for Toothless to follow and heads through the trees. Without even bothering to remove cowl or faceguard, the tallest woman turns to follow him, replacing her arrow in the quiver on her back without breaking stride.

The dark-haired giant shakes his head and walks off, his Gronkle lumbering amiably behind him.

Koen gestures towards the others and they join him before Stoick, the women removing their cowls and faceguards as they walk.

"Brother, allow me to introduce the rest of our group to you. This lovely dark-haired creature is my wife, Avita. She comes from the land of the Romans."

He gestures towards the three former Murderous tribe members, "This young man is Sven, and the lovely girl next to him is his twin sister Luka. This young lady is Kairi. She doesn't remember where she came from, but because of her red hair we're assuming she is originally from the land of the Picts. She was found washed up on a beach on Murderous Island with what appeared to be bits of wreckage from a ship. The silent giant that followed your son is Othere. He's a carpenter, so don't be surprised if you see him just join in on any projects your men have going."

Stoick nods, "Welcome to Berk. If you need anything to be comfortable while you're getting settled, please let me know."

Koen winces and flexes his shoulder painfully. "And now if you'll excuse us, Brother… we had a small run-in with Dagur and his Berserkers on the way here. I feel the need to soak in a hot bath for a while to loosen this shoulder back up. My age betrays me, I guess. I can't fight and then not have the luxury of a hot bath and a soft bed."

"Does anyone need Gothi?" Stoick puts a hand on Koen's shoulder and squeezed gently to see if there is a dislocation or obvious break. As far as his untrained hands can tell, the joint is sound.

Koen shrugs him off gently, "No, we've no need of your healer. Hiccup took the only serious injury, but it's nearly healed. He took the stitches out this morning before we flew for Berk. You may want to post a watch though. Dagur didn't get the name Deranged for nothing. He bears a deep hatred towards Hiccup and he thinks killing The Dragon Master will earn him Toothless."

Before Stoick can start asking any of the thousands of questions Koen can see forming in his eyes, he wraps his good arm around his wife and heads in the direction of their houses. He pauses just before disappearing into the trees and calls the dragons, "Bolt, Dulce… come!"

A leaf green Changewing and a beautifully colored light orange and tan Nadder run after the departing couple, chirping happily.

The three young Murderous tribe members give a small bow and follow the rest of their group. When they reach their dragons, Sven tosses Kairi up onto his oddly colored Nightmare, throws his sister over his shoulder despite her screech and playful threats of castration, and gives a shrill whistle for the remaining dragons to follow him.

The collected citizens of Berk stand there in shock. Not a word is said, but it's apparent most of them are thinking the same thing, 'Hiccup and his group are not people to cross.'

…

 **I had two guest reviewers, and I appreciate the comments but I like to reply to each review I get and I can't do that if you're not logged in. So Guest 1 and Guest 2, since I can't reply directly: No Guest 1, this is not a Hiccstrid story. I do have a few alternate ending pieces already written that are, but you won't get those until the story is done posting. Yes Guest 2, Cami and Hiccup are an underrated pairing. I actually like them together.**

 **Here's a list of Hiccup's group of Riders/Dragons with some description blurbs**

 _ **Hiccup**_ **– black Night Fury –** **Toothless** **Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death is just a title… he acts like an overgrown puppy.**

 _ **Camicazi**_ **– purple Skrill –** **Mango** **Very gentle and affectionate to Cami and crew. Very not-so-nice to random other people that try to touch her. Mango is the only dragon in the group that refuses to let outsiders handle her at all.**

 _ **Koen**_ **– green Changewing –** **Bolt** **Very fast… may be faster than Toothless. Nobody can agree if there was indeed cheating in that race so the results are considered indeterminate. Bolt says he didn't cheat, Toothless disagrees.**

 _ **Avita**_ **(Koen's wife) – orange and tan Nadder –** **Dulce** **Avita is Italian, Koen married her not long after he took control of his mother's family holdings in Gaul (France). His brother in law (2** **nd** **son of the family) holds his lands in his absence since Koen far prefers the Northlands to Southern Gaul.**

 **Dulce got her name for two reasons: She's very sweet and her coloring looks like the caramel treats Avita misses from her homeland. She and Toothless are the two friendliest dragons in the group.**

 _ **Sven**_ **– pink Monstrous Nightmare –** **Lady** **Very small for her breed but still a large dragon. Her color is a genetic abnormality resulting in a Dilute. She does not fly to the breeding island with other dragons, she is infertile. She becomes very sad during the time the other dragons are gone, and very needy. Sven would never admit, but he sleeps in her stall with her during the nesting time every year so she won't feel lonely.**

 _ **Othere**_ **– dark grey Gronkle –** **Slate** **He's HUGE and he's strong. Not as slow as most other Gronkles, but not as fast as the other dragons in the group. When the group is settled in somewhere, he acts as Hiccup's portable forge.**

 _ **Luka**_ **– light blue/green Nadder –** **Ocean** **He's unusually docile for a Nadder, but still very vain. Luka has to call him "her handsome gentleman" at least once every day or he'll pout.**

 _ **Kairi**_ **– light grey and white Stormcutter –** **Smoke** **By far, the most serious of the dragons. Quiet and watchful, it takes him longer to warm up to strangers than any of the other dragons except Mango.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I've had several more guest reviews and a common question over all is "Will this be Hiccstrid?" No. The main story line and outtakes from Arranged are NOT Hiccstrid. Other question I'm seeing a lot of: Will Hiccup have a harem? Ah… no. Cami would absolutely not allow that to happen. Also, a Guest Reviewer actually rage-quit reading my story because it's not Hiccstrid. LOL! :D I find that amusing. In honor of somebody refusing to read the story anymore, I'll give the rest of you an extra chapter.**

Chapter 4

Othere liked to consider himself rather open minded… for a Viking. He was used to Hiccup and Cami regularly and loudly trying to fuck each other's brains out; living in tents together for months on end did that, he supposed. You couldn't be a prude and travel with so many people… four of whom were married and two of those still newlyweds. Their group was so inured to the shenanigans those two got up to, that it was easy to forget they were now among people who weren't used to it.

But this situation was amusing for him, even taking into account that the Berkians might not exactly approve of certain activities their Heir gets up to (he snorted to himself… that was just TOO easy) with his lady.

There was a small blonde standing halfway between the trees and the house. There was shock on her face and an axe in her hand. She'd apparently been coming to seek one of them out and gotten caught in the VERY loud crossfire of another romp between the group's resident nymphomaniacs. He would have laughed at the look on her face, somewhere between disgust and uncertainty, but he had to admit to himself most people would be shocked to hear a woman giving such strident instruction on where a man's tongue belonged at the top of her voice. And in the middle of the day no less. He could see why the blonde girl was visibly upset over being subjected to that, and he was pretty sure the only thing keeping her from making a scene were the two dragons in her path. Mango trying to bar a stranger from Cami wasn't unusual; Toothless standing crouched and snarling instead of begging for a belly rub… now that was unusual.

The half fastened shutters on Hiccups' house started rattling a staccato rhythm that seemed to match perfectly with Cami's moaning and profanity laced demands for more. The blonde's face contorted with anger and she tried to go around the dragons only for Toothless to start building a blast in his throat.

Othere sighed softly, begging Odin to save him from fools and pissed off women, before walking towards her.

"I suggest you back away from Toothless. He doesn't want you near his rider, and he's ridiculously protective."

She glared at him, but did retreat several yards. Once Toothless deemed she was no longer a threat he turned his head to the side and spat his plasma at a tree, bringing it crashing down.

"I came here to see my intended, only to find him… fornicating… with some whore he picked up along his travels and this blasted lizard is acting like he doesn't even know me!"

Othere quirked a brow at her, "You're the She-demon? I would have figured you'd be taller. But then, Hiccup was a tiny little runt when he got saddled with you."

"She-demon? How dare you…"

He cuts off her rant before she can really get going, his contempt plain in his voice, "I dare a lot when the happiness of my friends is at stake, girl. You're not welcome here, and you should leave before they come out to see why they're being interrupted. Best you go speak to your father about this whole 'intended' thing, because Hiccup has a letter with your father's signature and seal absolving him of any responsibility to you."

He almost felt bad for revealing that information, because the girl truly looked stricken. But then he remembered how resigned to a life devoid of love and happiness his friend was before Cami, and that his misery was due to the nastiness of this one spiteful female.

"I'll give you a final warning, and then if you're stupid enough to disregard my words I'll feel no guilt when they have to come remove your body. Do NOT approach that house with your weapons drawn if you value your life. If the dragons don't kill you for it, Hiccups' _wife_ will."

Now the girl was just in shock, mouth gaping open and closed like a fish in the sun.

"Wife? But…but we were…"

A shrill affirmation from Cami preceded one final enormous bang which ended up cracking the shutter. Hiccup's raspy voice could clearly be heard voicing his love to her before both were laughing rather loudly about the broken shutter.

Othere was normally a serious man with little sense of humor, but he did thoroughly enjoy giving the two lovebirds a huge amount of grief about their overly boisterous and loud bouts of sex. Even with the added audience he saw no reason to refrain from one of his great joys in life, so he cupped a hand to his mouth and called out to his friend. Hopefully he'd get to see Hiccup all red-faced and stuttering his denials of what had clearly just happened.

"You two are scarring the locals for life! These Berkians aren't used to your wild woman and your skirt-chasing ways, Haddock!"

Thor knew he should have known better than to bait them while Hiccups' She-demon was still standing there. Only Loki could predict how the two of them would respond, but there was a good chance of it causing an incident with the still enraged girl who was shocked speechless and was either unable or unwilling to walk away.

The broken shutter banged open and a thoroughly disheveled Cami leaned her elbows on the window ledge. Othere wasn't sure if her state of dishabille was intentional or not, but based on how many times she's yelled at him stark naked for interrupting her fun times in the past he thought that it probably was. Her hair was draped artfully over the shoulder left bare by what was clearly Hiccup's tunic. Her arms were pushing her breasts up into the very deep vee of the garment, her face was still pink from her exertion, and she had the smuggest grin to ever grace a face plastered on.

"Othere, why are you bothering us? We were trying to do you a favor and give you some extra carpentry to work on." She gestured to the broken shutter like she was bestowing a great favor upon him. "The least you could do is let us get on with it in peace."

Her refusal to look at or acknowledge the other woman was a deliberate slight, he knew that as surely as he knew oak from ash. What he couldn't tell yet was her motive. Cami wasn't one to use feminine wiles or subtlety. She was more the type to swing her swords first and ask questions afterwards. He was suddenly very afraid that he'd inadvertently started something he wasn't going to be able to finish without bloodshed breaking out.

Before he could reply, Cami turned around and the sunlight hit the back of the loose tunic, outlining her body clearly through the linen fabric. He could see Hiccup's bare arm and shoulder as it wrapped around Cami, but his face and torso were hidden in the shadows inside the house.

"Woman, I wasn't done with you yet."

She wound her body around Hiccup's and Othere would have put every coin he owned on the fact that she stretched to reveal her long bare legs intentionally before lightly hopping up to wrap them around her husband. His other arm appeared and caught her under the ass and Othere understood Cami's little game perfectly now… she was claiming Hiccup and making sure the She-demon understood that he was claimed.

She was giggling madly as Hiccup hauled her back into the shadowy interior of the house. Just before the shutters slammed shut again, he heard Hiccup call out to him, "Get the fuck out of here, Othere and take _her_ with you!"

Othere wasn't a totally unfeeling man. The pain on the young Berkian woman's face twanged a little uncomfortably in his chest… he shouldn't have tried to provoke a reaction from them in front of the girl. Well… a reaction from Cami anyways. It was pretty clear to him that Hiccup did not give one single care if his former betrothed thought he'd fucked every willing woman in the archipelago while still promised to her.

She was standing there, axe dangling loosely in limp fingers. Her face was pale, her mouth still hanging open, huge blue eyes wide and wet.

"I was coming to talk to him. He wrote me years ago and said he wouldn't accept my apology until I gave it to him in person… I wanted to… I guess it doesn't matter now."

Her eyes swung to him and he winced. "I was only a child! I was angry and stupid!" Her voice softened. "I wanted to tell him I was wrong…"

"Astrid…"

That seemed to snap her out of her shock. "Oh, you do know my name? I was starting to think it was She-demon!"

He tugged gently at her arm to get her going. "Come, I'll take you back to your father. Even though Hiccup was angry with you for all those years, he and your father allowed that contract to stand to protect you from his cousin."

"How long?"

He looked at her with confusion. "How long what?"

"How long has he known her? How long as he been married?"

"They've known each other since he first visited Bashem Island, but they've only been married six months. He wouldn't put her at risk of being cast out until he heard back from your father. Your village is just up ahead, best repair your face and look normal until you get to your house, Astrid."

"Why do you even care? He obviously doesn't!" Her face was hard and her voice was bitter, but her eyes were dry and her complexion was returning to normal. He put a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him, his anger plainly visible in his face and his voice rising.

"What reason did you ever give him to care about you? He wanted so badly to marry you when your fathers first signed the contracts. As a child he loved you, and you repaid his affections by treating him like shit on your favorite boots! He lost his fucking leg to protect this place and he heard you telling somebody else you would have been better off if he'd _died_!"

She flinched and looked ashamed at that. Othere took a deep breath and brought his voice back under control. Yelling at her wasn't going to do anything productive.

"He doesn't care about you any longer, but he remembers seeing the bruises on his aunt when her husband came home drunk or had a bad day. He heard from your father about the first girl his idiot cousin was betrothed to… thank Thor she got word to her father before it was too late! So he may not love you, but he loves and respects your parents too much to just toss your fate up in the air like that when the only person on this island rich enough to outbid his uncle for your bride-price is his father!"

"And if he hadn't met her?"

Othere turned and started back along the path to Berk Village, Astrid walked beside him. Her arms were wrapped around her middle and she looked like she was thinking. He hoped he could make this point to her without causing her to cry again.

"If he hadn't met her, he would have come home and married you. He would have lived his entire life without being happy or in love just to fulfill his duty to give Berk the next heir. He promised your father he would treat you well, but he never would have trusted you again. Once he had that heir you probably would have lived separate lives. You did far too much damage to an innocent heart."

They stopped speaking before they walked into the village. Othere picked up her hand and tucked it through his elbow and put a smile on his face. He leaned close and spoke so only she would hear him, "Smile and act like you're fine. You don't want anybody to start guessing what may be making you so upset until you know how you're going to fix it."

She smiled up at him like he'd just told her the most amusing joke. He had to admire her grit, if nothing else. She directed him to her father's stables where he kept animals that needed more attention than he could give them out in a field. Since the nosy baker and his gossipy wife were watching, she made a show of introducing Othere to her father and saying that he'd been kind enough to escort her back to the village since Hiccup was with someone who required his complete attention. She smirked when both men winced at her telling words, and then she bid the dark haired giant good bye as if they were old friends.

Neither man was fooled in the slightest by her sweet tone; Othere was thoroughly glad that the She-demon was Ingmar's problem to deal with. He walked away, wishing the man all of the gods luck. Thor knew he was going to need it.


	5. Chapter 5

**The story really earns the M rating starting now. Last chance for innocent wee lambies to leave. Those who've asked about lemons, here you go.**

 **Also, I keep getting the whole "harem" thing and I think a few reviewers may be confused about a piece of the last chapter. There is not, nor will there be, a harem. It's just not happening. Period. To clarify chapter 4, Hiccup did not actually run around shagging random girls. Othere made the observation that he wouldn't care if that's what Astrid thought he did.**

… **..  
**

Chapter 5

"Quite a show you put on there. Care to enlighten me as to why?"

Cami frowned at her husband and unwrapped her legs from around his lean waist so she could stand. But Hiccup was in no hurry to put her down, so she stops struggling against him and starts ticking reasons off on her fingers.

"Because you're mine. Because I don't share. Because I never liked that you and her father kept her in the dark when your betrothal ended…"

She placed her finger over his lips when he went to interrupt her little diatribe.

"I understand why, I truly do. But you didn't see the look on her face when your helmet came off. I did. She was drooling over you, and she thought that she legitimately had a claim. I was not about to listen to her giving you some insincere apology and then flirting with you."

He kisses her fingers, "I am yours. Even if we weren't married, I'd never allow some other woman to take my attention from you."

Without breaking his train of thought, he turns and has her back pressed up against the wall. As soon as her weight is held stable between his body and the wall his hands are underneath her borrowed tunic tugging at her sensitive breasts while he grinds his hips against hers, all the while he continues speaking to her in the gravelly desire-filled voice she loves so much.

"You're insanely beautiful, Cami. But even more impressive than your beauty is your heart. You called me your friend and defended that friendship before I'd gained a reputation for anything. You never saw me as Useless."

Her nimble fingers are between them, tugging at the haphazardly tied laces of his quickly tugged on pants.

"You loved me before I grew into myself. Before I became the Dragon Master you still found something worthy in me."

She's finally worked him free of his pants, and she wraps her arms around his neck to pull herself up until she can feel him right where she needs him, and then slides back down with a low whine in her throat. His head falls back on his shoulders for a moment as he fills her, and then he's desperately trying to get her out of his tunic. It's caught firm between her back and the wall, so he tears it down the front and pushes it off of her shoulders. She shrugs her arms free and threads both of her hands into his hair.

"You wanted me before you could have me and you were willing to defy both of our tribes so that we could be together. Knowing that if we ran we'd never be welcomed home, and we'd have nothing more than each other and the dragons, you still came to me and told me your feelings."

Her breathing is harsh, falling in time with the steady, insistent roll of his hips against hers. She wants to meet him stroke for stroke, but he's got her body pinned to the wall, deliberately holding her still so that he can draw this out.

"Do you remember the first night you came to me? I tried to send you away because I was still betrothed. I didn't care about her feelings, but I didn't want to hurt you by being with you and not being able to promise you anything afterward."

Her hands are clawing at his hips, trying to speed his pace a little, but he resists. He slows down and slides her body down the wall a little bit to give him a better angle to get deeper within her.

"I was so terrified when you refused to leave. I hadn't ever kissed a girl at that point in my life and you were wanting things I'd barely even dreamed of. I was so sure I would disappoint you and then I'd never see you again."

He ignores her quietly uttered pleadings for him to go faster, harder, to take her, use her, fuck her - anything he wants as long as he does it _now_. He smiles at her impatience and leans in to give her a kiss, somehow managing to slow his hips further while he's tangling his tongue against hers. By the end of this afternoon he plans to make sure she never again feels any need to be jealous or worried that his attention will stray. He bends his knees slightly and adjusts his balance so that he can run his tongue lightly down her throat and across her collarbone before following the same path back up scraping her sensitive skin with his teeth. The change of angle causes him to bottom out inside of her and it seems to snap what little composure she had left.

"Baby, please! Please, please no more teasing!"

"I'm not done with you yet, wife." He picks up the rhythm again, leaving her moaning quietly against his neck.

"Do you know what I was thinking that night when we were done?"

She shakes her head, too lost in the throes of needing him to even try to speak anymore.

"I was thinking I was the luckiest guy on Midgard. I made an absolute mess of that first time and instead of leaving you stayed. You cuddled up next to me and held me like you would never let go. Right before you fell asleep, you told me again that you loved me. It wasn't the first time you said it, but it was the first time I believed that maybe I was deserving of your love."

She sobs, both from the physical maelstrom he's keeping her in and from the memories she has of that scrawny, damaged boy she fell in love with. Memories of the tall and coltish young man she'd given herself to, who was so desperate to prove himself and needed to be loved so badly.

Her muscles are trembling uncontrollably at this point, and she wonders how long he plans on keeping her at the edge of her orgasm. Whatever inhuman control he's been exerting over himself slips and he gives her exactly what she needs. His hips are snapping against hers sharply, the length of him dragging heavily against her internal muscles, his teeth planted firmly in the skin where her neck meets her shoulder to stifle the groans he normally doesn't bother to hide. She has no such compunction and loudly cries his name as that overwound spring inside her finally snaps and unwinds.

Three more solid thrusts against her pliant body has Hiccup stiffening and moaning her name. Cami hugs him tightly, fingers still threaded through his hair and lips planted softly against his neck. She can feel his pulse racing even as he finally sags against her, his forehead resting against her shoulder, his breath puffing coolly against her sweaty, over heated skin.

"Only you, Cami. Only ever you."

She knows that, it's never been a doubt in her mind. She knows this display of his was him trying to reassure her. She didn't need the reassurance, but the side benefits she'll take any day of the week.

"I thought about not announcing our marriage right away, to give Ingmar more time to make arrangements for his daughter. But I'm not doing that. I want you on my arm tonight, in your prettiest dress that your tribe would absolutely rag you to death for wearing. I want to make a statement to Berk that I don't care about their opinions anymore, and that I can just as easily leave if they try to put me back in the role of Useless again."

She smiles at him lazily, still too sated and feeling warm and sappy from his love to care that women of the Bog never wear dresses in front of Vikings. Well, technically she was no longer a woman of the Bog. She'd married. Her mother and sister understood that for her to have Hiccup she'd have to marry him, and they hadn't cast her out over it. But there were a lot of tribeswomen who were pretty pissed at her for choosing a man over them. Still, nineteen years of precedent and all…

"Shall I wear that gown Avita made for me when we went to visit her family in Rome, then? It's ostentatious enough to set all of Berk on their ears. If I wear it, then you have to wear your velvet tunic and the dragon hide trousers she made you from Dulce's last shed."

He grins at her, but instead of his usual open charm there's something dark about it.

"Actually, love I was planning to wear the tunic and pants you made me from Toothless' last shed."

She quirks a brow at him, "Any reason you feel the need to go to dinner with your father in your armor? I don't think even your lunkhead of a cousin will be trying to bury a blade in your back in the middle of the Great Hall."

Although she has to admit… he looks amazing in the tight black leathers. There's something dangerous and alluring about his lean muscles and broad shoulders that leather enhances.

His tone is entirely too innocent, "What? I would never think so. The great hulking idiot isn't smart enough to think of something like that."

She wiggles to get down, and he obliges her. She pulls his ruined tunic around herself like a robe and walks into the area they've turned into a bathing room. She starts filling the huge wooden tub that rests in a semi-closed off alcove behind the stairs and notices absently that her husband is gathering up drying linens and clean undergarments for the both of them.

It's a pain not being unpacked yet, because she has to dig around in one of her trunks to find the delicate soaps Avita's sisters taught her to make and the sweet scented oils she likes to rub into her skin and hair after she bathes. She finds that now she isn't rubbing her skin raw with harsh lye and ash soap she prefers to bathe more often than the customary once a week.

Hiccup calls Toothless in to get the small fire pit in the bathing area lit and hangs a cauldron of water for rinsing off over it to heat for her. He heads up the stairs, metal foot clomping loudly against the wood. She hears him rummaging around in their bedchamber and wonders what on Midgard he could possibly be looking for up there.

Before she can call out to him, he's coming back down. Her fine blue velvet gown over one arm and his matching tunic in the other.

"You're not going to wear your leathers, then?"

He hangs both garments in the bathing room and shakes his head before he heads back out to dig around in another chest. She's glad he thought to hang the garments where the steam from the heating water will help to take the wrinkles out of them for her. He knows how much she hates to iron their nicer clothing they wear when they visit the Southlands.

Once she has the tub full and warm enough she takes off Hiccup's ripped tunic and begins to unbraid her hair. She only earned three of her braids in battle, and she carefully sets the blood dyed leather thongs on a shelf. Her fourth braid is tied with a scrap of faded green linen from the tunic she ripped off of Hiccup the first night they were intimate. She tried to get him to wear a braid tied with a scrap of the fine silken night shift he'd torn in his haste to get her naked on their wedding night but he just smiled and told her she wasn't a conquest. Always so noble and sweet, that man of hers.

She's trying to finger comb the tangles out of her hair when Hiccup joins her in the bathing area again. He has his razor and her fine toothed bone comb with him, as well as the small looking glass he'd found on one of his trading missions for her father. It isn't big enough for them to use at the same time, so she works on quickly detangling her hair while he takes his own braids out, wets his beard with warm water, and begins rubbing soap into the growth.

"You be careful shaving around that scar, don't open it up again!"

He doesn't acknowledge her warning, but he has a razor to his face, so she doesn't get annoyed. She has to admit to liking him clean shaven, she knows he refuses to grow a beard because it's practically expected of men on Berk and he wants to be nothing like them. She idly wonders if the fact Koen prefers to keep clean shaven has anything to do with it as well. The two men do bear an uncanny resemblance to each other aside from hair and eye colors, when she first met them she thought Koen was Hiccup's older brother rather than his uncle.

Cami steps into the tub and takes advantage of how huge it is to completely submerge herself for a moment. She comes up with her blond hair streaming around her like liquid sunshine and sets to soaping it vigorously. Perhaps if she's fast enough she'll have it rinsed before Hiccup is done shaving and then they can enjoy a leisurely soak together instead of battling her hair for dominance. She's just emerging from her second rinsing dunk when she feels warmer water being poured over her tilted head. She peeks an eye open to see her once again clean faced husband kneeling next to her with a pitcher of water from the cauldron, and smiles her thanks to him. When her hair is free of suds he grabs one of the drying linens and wraps the wet mass up on top of her head to keep it out of the soapy water.

Once she is tended to, Hiccup grabs his small bathing stool and plunks it into the other side of the tub so he can sit down to take his leg off. He doesn't have to worry so much about splashing it with water anymore since all of the parts are completely covered in waterproof dragon hide, but he still sets it carefully away from the tub before swinging his legs over the side and working his way down off the stool and into the now lukewarm water. Cami grabs one of the pitchers of hot water he filled and pours it into the bath to help bring the temperature back up.

"It's nice getting to do this after three months of travelling."

He hums quietly, agreeing with her. He'll never admit it, but cold baths just don't work for him since he lost his foot. His stump aches for days after he dumps himself into a freezing cold river or lake. He only ever does it when they're travelling and he has to rinse the sweat of the riding leathers off.

"We could have stopped on Bashem on the way back up here for a rest and a hot bath, love. Dovon would have been glad to see us."

She knows exactly what would have happened if she'd given in to that request.

"Dad would have gotten you wrapped up in a trading mission or some other harebrained scheme that you would have found much more important than returning to Berk, Hiccup."

He looks away from her and it saddens her to see the expression on his face, still very much the little boy who never did anything worthy in the eyes of his tribe.

"It's hard being back here."

"I know, darling. We don't have to stay if they can't accept you for the man you are now, but you are the Heir of Berk. You needed to come back."

He nods, "I know. I still don't have to like it."

She'll never tell him that when he glares, he's adorable to her. She's seen him stop hardened men in their tracks with that look, but it doesn't work on her.

"Turn around here, husband mine. I'll scrub your hair for you."

She spreads her legs so that he can lean against her and once he's finished getting settled she grabs one of the empty pitchers beside the tub to fill and wet his hair. It must have been a bit of Loki's influence, but she smirks before grabbing her own rose scented soap instead of the sandalwood her husband normally prefers and begins soaping his hair for him. She uses her blunt nails against his scalp and massages his neck and shoulders to keep him distracted from what she's doing.

It took him far longer to become comfortable with bathing together than it did her. It's not even a sexual situation for her, no matter how much Othere and Sven like to rag on them about it. She just loves having this quiet, lazy time with her husband when he'll actually allow her to tend to him. He's too fiercely independent to let people ever see anything that could be perceived as a weakness. And she understands that, because she was there while he was trying to piece himself back together from the hurt caused by the abuse and neglect of Berk. But here when it's just them, she can fuss over him to her heart's content without making him feel less for it.

If anybody had told a much younger, half-wild Bog girl named Camicazi that she would one day willingly leave her tribeswomen to become a wife and that she'd actually enjoy coddling a man, she'd have happily run them through from gullet to groin and whistled a merry tune as she walked away from the body. But there it is. She is happy to be married to him and she loves making up for all of the affection and care he never had as a boy.

He groans and stretches, sliding down a bit to rest his head against her chest while she starts gently rubbing his temples and forehead. Once he's relaxed she takes up one of the pitchers of warmed water and rinses his hair.

"Cami, did you use your soap in my hair?"

She can't prevent the little giggle that escapes and it's all the answer he needs.

"Thanks for that, love. Now the Berk men can all laugh at me for being the big, intimidating Dragon Master… that smells of pretty flowers."

"Or you can be the sexy, virile Dragon Master that still smells of his woman."

He tilts his head back to look up at her and smirks, "My lady, I would love to oblige you but I think you've worn me out for the moment."

She can't resist leaning down to drop a small kiss on his nose.

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Now hurry up and finish, I have to have time to pin up my hair and get into that gods-forsaken gown before dinner time."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to those of you that messaged me and wished me luck on my board exams. There was a bizarre chain of events that actually delayed my appointment with the testing center (idiot drunk driver wiped out power to an entire neighborhood) so I didn't get to take it. Updates will continue to be sporadic until I do sometime in the next two weeks, because I can't throw away extra study time! But as a thank you for your patience here is the next chapter.**

…

Chapter 6

Koen and Avita were given seats at Stoick's table on the dais and facing the door of the Great Hall, so they were the first to spot Hiccup and Cami walking in and stopping to have a word with Ingmar Hofferson. Koen prayed to all the gods that Stoick wouldn't try to start a scene because Cami was on Hiccup's arm, Stoick didn't know the betrothal was cancelled, and if he insulted Cami there would be bloodshed.

Odin must have heard his entreaties because Stoick was busy giving direction to one of the serving girls when they reached the Chief's table. It was the silence that descended over the hall at the sight of the couple that eventually caught Stoick's attention. He looked up and was gobsmacked by the sight of his son dressed like a Southern lord, with a beautiful blonde at his side in a gown the likes of which he'd never seen.

Hiccup took advantage of the momentary silence to make his announcement.

"May I introduce my wife Camicazi; second in line to be Chieftess of the Bog Burglar tribe. Cami, the Hairy Hooligan tribe of Berk and my father Stoick the Vast."

Cami nodded to the assembled villagers, gave a small bow toward Stoick, and then allowed her husband to help her into her seat. She was normally more of a weapons and breaking heads kind of girl, but she knew tonight called for a touch more delicacy and diplomacy than Vikings usually allowed for and she'd planned accordingly.

She and Hiccup were both dressed in the clothing they wore when visiting Avita's family in Rome or when visiting Koen's holdings. The fine materials of the gown, the jewels, and the fancy hairstyle were armor of a different sort. People might be shocked and outraged at the "sudden" breaking of the contract between Hiccup and the Hofferson wench, but Cami had set herself apart and out of that fight by taking the role of a grand lady. Much as she wanted to just tell them all to kiss her arse and wade into any argument with her swords swinging, she had to let Hiccup and the girl's father deal with this matter.

Stoick obviously didn't know what to make of his son's announcement. He was looking at Ingmar Hofferson oddly, obviously waiting for the man to object or demand that Hiccup fulfill the contract with his daughter… or to call for an honor duel.

They might have stayed stuck in the silent holding pattern all night, but for Spitelout Jorgenson standing up and asking Ingmar if there had ever really been a contract on his daughter or if it had been a lie he was using to drive the bride price up for men like his son.

Ingmar refused to stand, or to look at Jorgenson, as he answered.

"Hiccup wrote to me over two years ago and told me he'd fallen in love. As most of you know, his relationship with Astrid was not of their own choosing. I didn't feel right demanding he refuse a love match to honor that contract, so I released him from it. I didn't announce it because I was hoping my daughter would have a chance to find a love match of her own."

"So you deliberately withheld the information that your daughter was available when there are still young men of marrying age in Berk with no available girls to choose from? And for what reason? She's an old maid with a failed betrothal to her name now! Were you just hoping to get a higher bride price from some clueless foreigner who didn't know how tarnished she is?"

Ingmar Hofferson is, by Viking standards, a gentle man. He heals rather than maims; he cried over a litter of orphaned kittens that he couldn't save just last week, and he never acquired a liking for killing dragons before the peace. The look on his face as he finally stands and turns to face the older Jorgenson is wrathful, and all the more terrifying because it's not a look the man normally wears.

"I withheld the information to keep your family from offering for her! I would give her away for free if it was to a man I could trust to treat her well and keep your woman-beating son away from her! I offered her to Stoick for his son because I knew you couldn't afford to outbid them for her bride price!"

Spitelout's face is crimson with his anger as he demands that Stoick force this issue, and Snotlout is sneering at Astrid. He doesn't even bother with subtlety, "I'll be putting you in your place yet. Thought you were so much better than everyone else, but you'll learn."

Her hopeless eyes are darting around the hall hoping that somebody, anybody else, will at least tell her father they're interested so he can give her for free as he threatened, but she knows it's unlikely anyone will go against the Jorgensons. After the Haddocks, they're the most powerful family in Berk. The bruised and bloodied face of that poor girl from the Peaceful lands is stuck in her mind and she's approaching a panic.

"I want the girl."

The hall falls silent and everybody turns to see who is daring to stand up against the Jorgensons. She finally climbs up on the bench so she can see above the taller people around her, and her eyes find a familiar face.

"Othere?" His eyes lock on hers and he shoulders his way through the crowded hall until he's standing by her father.

"He is not a member of this tribe! He can't intrude…" Spitelout is cut off by the last voice Astrid would have expected.

"He is a member of this tribe. Has been from the moment I returned to this island and was welcomed back as heir. He's been with me for years and he plans to stay here and make his life. If he's ready to take a wife then he has every right to offer for her."

She looks at Hiccup, astonished that he would stand up for her after everything she put him through. They both know he could have stayed silent and Othere would have been rejected outright if Stoick was forced to choose between an outsider or a Berkian.

Ingmar turns to the dark haired giant, "You promise to treat her well and never physically harm her?"

His deep blue eyes catch on hers for a moment before returning to her father's face.

"I swear it on my life."

Ingmar offers his hand, "I'll hold you to that." The two men shake hands before Othere lifts her down off the bench she's still standing on and takes a seat after waving one of the serving girls over. Apparently even becoming engaged unexpectedly doesn't throw off his appetite.

Ingmar turns to face Stoick and yells to be heard over the noise Spitelout is making, "As Jorgenson said, she's well past the age to marry and has a failed betrothal. I give her to this man on the honor of his word. I have had the bride price you paid for her put aside to give you ever since your son and I ended their betrothal, I'm sure you understand why I couldn't give it back to you before now. You'll have it first thing tomorrow morning, Chief."

Astrid's heart clenches for a moment, because as Chief, Stoick has the final approval of this. He can still reject Othere's offer and hand her over to Snotlout.

"See that's she's married quickly, Ingmar. We've had more than enough drama over the lass, I'm sure you agree?"

Both Jorgenson men sneer openly at Stoick and leave the hall, slamming the doors roughly behind them.

Her father nods calmly before resuming his seat and picking up his tankard of ale. Hopefully nobody else sees the slight shake in his hand as he drains his drink and waves one of the girls over to bring him another.

"So. You are Othere, and a carpenter by trade. What else should I know about the man who's marrying my daughter?"

"I am Othere Lofgren, formerly of Lapland. I was sold into slavery by my dying father's second wife during my tenth summer so that her son would inherit. I learned carpentry and sailing before I ended up chained to the oars of a madman's ship. Hiccup and Toothless freed me, and ended up making a bitter enemy in the process. I've spent the last four years of my life following him, because he's a good man and worthy to follow."

"Why?" She can't stop herself from asking him what prompted this. "You seemed like you couldn't stand me this afternoon, why would you do this when you don't have to? I'm very grateful, mind you… I'm just confused."

She thinks he won't answer for a moment, but then he sighs. "I was with Hiccup when word reached him about his cousin brutalizing that girl. He and Cami hadn't been involved for long, and he was technically still promised to you. He knew his cousin always coveted you, and he was feeling horribly guilty that by asking for his freedom he could be endangering your safety. He was willing to leave Cami and come back for you to keep that from happening, but I talked him out of it."

He sees the flash of hurt in her eyes, and takes her hand without stopping to think, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you, other than what he told me about your actions. I could see how much they loved each other, it would have killed him to give her up."

Her voice is small, "So you offered for me because you felt guilty?"

"No." He smiles and shakes his head. "I offered for you because I couldn't stomach the thought of the feisty girl I met this afternoon becoming some broken down and beaten dolly; a plaything owned by a cruel little boy in a grown man's body."

He pats her hand one final time before placing it on the table between them and going back to his meal, talking above her head to her father in brief spurts between bites as the two men try to hash out details.

She suddenly regrets all of her stupid, stubborn refusals to get any sewing done for her wedding and her own home while she actually had years to work on it. She has no wedding gown. She has no linens prepared. She has no clothing appropriate for a married woman. Othere is telling her father he'll have a house built by the end of the month, she might be able to get enough linens and everyday dresses to wear until winter sewn if she puts in extra hours and begs her mother to help, but there's no time or material to make a wedding gown.

"What's troubling you, Little one?"

She looks up, startled to be called out on her inattention, "I was just thinking about how much I have to do and how little time. I won't have time or materials to make a proper wedding gown, and it's my own fault because I should have made it years ago."

He laughs quietly, "Fear not. I've been going on trading voyages for Cami's father with Hiccup for years and I have more fabrics than I know what to do with. Bring your mother tomorrow and I'll have Avita help you two pick whatever you need. I'm not rich in coin, Astrid, but I have enough in tradeable goods and my own labor to support you well enough."

Ingmar hears the quiet conversation between the two younger people, and hides a sigh of relief in his tankard. Thank Odin his instinct to trust this man paid off. They don't love each other, but he doesn't have to worry for her safety and the large man obviously cares enough to try to make her happy. He hasn't felt this secure about his daughter's future since the day he sealed that letter to Hiccup, releasing him from their betrothal.

Up at the Chief's table, Hiccup hides a smile behind his hand. The last of the guilt he felt for leaving her vulnerable fades away as he watches his large friend smile reassuringly and pat her hand again.

"Kind of shocked me when Othere stepped in."

He looks at Cami, "I wasn't surprised. He knows what my idiot cousin is capable of and he'd never leave a woman to suffer something like that."

"Hm." Her face screws up a bit, then relaxes. "Never thought I'd say this, but I guess I should be nice to her. I love Othere and I don't want to hurt his feelings by offending his new betrothed."

He smiles at her and leans over for a kiss. He meant it to be quick, but as usually happens, it becomes something maybe a little less than appropriate for public, as evidenced by someone in the crowded hall catcalling him. He breaks from her lips with a grin, and raises his hand to wave in good natured acknowledgement of the heckler.

"You don't have to be her best friend, but when she marries Othere she'll be part of our group which means if we decide to go to visit Rome or Gaul she'll be coming with us. I think being nice can't hurt when we'll be spending months at a time travelling with her."

She leans her head against his shoulder, her fingers coming up to toy with the velvet of his tunic. "We're technically Othere's clan leaders since you saved him and his stepmother disavows him. What should we give them for their wedding gift? It has to be good."

He stares off for a moment thinking, "Hm. Well, I planned on giving Othere enough money to pay for the first year." She smiles and nods at that. "I don't really have any ideas for her."

She gives him an exasperated look, "Well, what does she enjoy?"

"Hel's breath, Cami I have no clue. It's not like I kept in touch with her for the past five years. Maybe we can have Avita dig for some information? She's good at getting people to talk."


	7. Chapter 7

**OK, here is the confrontation we all knew needed to happen. Stoick and Hiccup try to resolve the past.**

Chapter 7

The meal is winding down when Hiccup realizes that Stoick has been unusually quiet. He wants to chalk it up to the drama between the Hoffersons and the Jorgensons, but he really doesn't think that would be enough to silence his father completely.

Besides, his father despises the Jorgenson men, and Ingmar Hofferson is one of his closest friends. He has to be happy that Astrid escaped the Jorgenson's clutches again. Stoick's not close to his half-sister and he can't interfere if she doesn't bring charges of cruelty to him, but he's not stupid. He knows what the man has been doing to Gerda all these years. He knows their son is cut from the same cloth.

Hiccup speaks with Cami, Koen, and Avita, and has a ready smile and pleasant words for any Berkian that stops past the table to chat for a moment. If his father still has nothing to say to him after five years, then it's nothing to him. He spent too many years trying to put all of that behind him to get upset by the man's disdain for him now.

Cami is keeping that serene, fake smile pasted on like armor. Likely so she doesn't start maiming the villagers that are giving them murderous looks. Even with Ingmar stating he broke the contract, there are still enough people on Berk who feel the Heir should have married a local girl, and probably more than a few who just don't like the "unnatural" Bog women. Either way, she's been subjected to more than a few glares from the gossipy old kitty cats followed by said glare-giver immediately leaning over to whisper to a neighbor behind a hand.

Stoick finally turns to his son, "Can we speak after the meal is over?"

"Of course." Hiccup keeps a carefully neutral expression on his face. "Would you like to join us at our house?"

"Ah…I was thinking it should just be us." The large man looks uncomfortable and can't stop himself from flicking a telling sideways glance at Bertha's younger girl.

Hiccup notices and his back straightens, his jaw tightening perceptibly. "Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of my wife. She'll hear it all anyways, better to let her hear it herself rather than misinterpreting when I tell her."

"I don't want to discuss this with an outsider, Hiccup." From the dark, dangerous look on his son's face, he's just said exactly the wrong thing. This is the man that was seconds away from killing Snotlout, not the boy that got upset if somebody accidentally stepped on a cat's paw and made it yowl.

His voice is low and commanding, "Cami is my _wife_ , not an outsider. Accept it, or I'll be gone by morning's first light. Never to return."

Stoick notices that even though their group is scattered around the Hall, every single one of them has alerted to Hiccup's altered mood. Even the dark haired giant sitting with Ingmar and his daughter has paused in his conversation with his new betrothed to keep a watchful eye on the Chief's table.

Before Stoick can take offense to being given orders in his own Hall, by his own son no less… a gentle hand rests on his arm. He looks to find the hand belongs to Koen's wife.

"Brother, I urge you to caution at the moment. My nephew is a man of his word."

The dark woman says nothing else, just pats his arm twice and resumes laughing with her husband as if she just heard the most amusing jest.

Hiccup and the Bog girl are standing when he looks back to his son. Without another word to him, Hiccup offers the girl his arm and leads her out of the Hall.

Fifteen minutes later, Stoick is pacing back at forth on the trail leading to the clearing where his son and company have essentially set up their own little village. It sat ill with him from the beginning that they didn't want to live in Berk Village, but he felt he couldn't insist. Hiccups' letter hadn't been _asking_ him for privacy, no that letter _demanded_ it.

He knows logically that it's been five years and of course his son is a man now, but Stoick expected the man that returned to Berk to at least be Hiccup. There is not a shred of his son left from what he can see. His son was awkward and self-effacing, quick with both jests and sharp remarks. This man is self-assured and self-controlled to a ridiculous degree, and he has an air of command to him. Though Koen is the oldest and Othere is the strongest, it's obvious that his son leads these people. Hiccup was a peaceful lad who hated the thought of violence and couldn't swing a weapon properly to save himself. This man is obviously a warrior. The speed and grace, the quick domination of a larger and stronger opponent… those are things that can be taught and Koen always was a fighter without equal. But the hardness in his eyes, the cold certainty in his voice as he promised to kill any who used his old nickname come only with battle experience. No, this man is not the Hiccup he knew.

The issues between himself and his son aren't going to disappear if he ignores them, so Stoick finally just does what he does best. He takes action and waits to see how it all falls out.

The blonde answers his knock at the door, but she's no longer the elegant lady in the fine gown. Her hair is still up though she's changed into her riding leathers and an oversized linen tunic he thinks probably belongs to his son. He never really took a proper look at her in the Great Hall but he sees now that young as she is, and he'll wager gold she can't be more than eighteen or nineteen, she's a blooded warrior from the Bog. Bertha wouldn't let her girls braid up their hair with blood-dyed leather for show. Her face is calm, but he sees the anger in her eyes. He's not sure why it's there but he knows it's for him.

"So. Should I call you dad?" He lifts a brow at her carefully neutral tone, but remains silent.

Not getting the response she was looking for, or any response really, Cami steps back to allow Stoick to enter the house. She hasn't started referring to it as home yet, because if Hiccup can't work things out with his father they'll be heading back to Bashem before the snow flies.

"Hiccup is changing, he'll be down momentarily. Would you care for some wine while you wait, sir?"

Oh she's a spitfire, this one. Her tone is pleasant and her hospitality is above reproach, but her eyes are roasting him alive. He doesn't answer her, and the tension ratchets up a few notches. He notices that she's a walking armory about the same time her fists start clenching and unclenching along the outside of her thighs, dangerously close to one of her blades.

The thump of Hiccup's metal foot on the wooden stairs couldn't come at a more opportune time, but if Stoick was hoping that his son would have calmed himself he was dead wrong. Hiccup's face is red, harsh with anger and his eyes are cold. One look and the girl's own anger fades away in an instant as she goes to him and wraps herself around him. His face softens when it rests on hers, but the instant he looks up and sees Stoick the hardness is back.

"You dare come into my house and treat my wife as beneath the dignity of a response when she's trying to be polite to you? Chief or not… _father_ or not, I will not have it, sir! State your business and then get the fuck out of here!"

The blonde places her hand on his son's shoulder, trying to calm him. "Hiccup…"

"No. Cami, he's been a cold, unfeeling bastard to me all of my life but I'll be damned if he treats you like that." He turns back to glare at Stoick, "SHE is the one who insisted I come back here and attempt to repair things with you. I never planned to set foot on Berk again. You treated me like dirt beneath your boots. I never blamed the villagers for their treatment of me, because they followed your lead! You could have stopped it all if you'd ever cared to pay attention to anything I tried to say to you!"

Cami is trying her best to hold him back, but she's never seen him this angry.

"Then I found out you lied to me. You kept my family from me. You tried to trap me in a loveless marriage I would have been miserable in and when I corrected that, _legally_ I must add, you're acting as if I've deliberately shamed you!"

The fact that the charges Hiccup's just laid at his door are valid rankles badly and he falls back on one of his sons' oldest tricks. Making a cutting response without stopping to think of what it'll sound like or how people will react.

"Well I never received a wedding invitation or notice, you could just be travelling with a whore for all I know."

The girl has a blade in hand within an instant, but his son beats her to the punch, so to speak. A good sized piece of his beard is laying on the floor at his feet and his son's hand is fisted in the other half to jerk his head back as the razor sharp steel snugs up against his throat. He feels a trickle and knows he's one wrong move away from having his throat slit.

"I've killed men for less than what you just insinuated." Hiccup's voice is chilling, "I'll give you one chance to apologize simply because you are my father. The next time you insult my wife, I'll end you."

Stoick sees the girl has sheathed her own dagger. She walks over and wraps her hand around Hiccup's. At first, he's sure that she means to drive the blade home, but she slowly pulls back on Hiccup's wrist until the steel is off of his skin.

"Hiccup, he's hurting over all of this as much as you are but he's emotionally stunted. He doesn't know how to process." She takes the knife from him and lays it on the table. "You'll hate yourself later if you do this, you know you will."

He runs an agitated hand through his hair and gives his wife a look that turns Stoick's blood cold but doesn't seem to affect the girl at all. "You're defending the man who just called you a whore. You understand this, right?"

She stays calm and Stoick realizes she's somehow taken his son from a cold rage to just plain anger. He wisely keeps his mouth shut while they have at it.

"Darling, we can prove him wrong about our marriage easily so why bother getting upset?" She looks at Stoick, challenge lighting up her warm amber eyes. "My father married us, on the last Freya's Day of the first month. All of Bashem, a fair sized contingent from Breakneck, and a good portion of Meathead Island were in attendance. You know, of course, that my father is Dovon the Wise, so my claim is easy to verify."

Stoick's eyes widen slightly, and she senses victory on this one point. He didn't know Dovon was her father. She's quick to jump on the slight advantage she's just been handed, her voice sugar sweet.

"My mother is your ally. You know she declared paternity for my sister and me since we're both the daughters of chieftains in the allied tribes. Surely she told you when she announced my birth, she's never kept it a secret because she didn't want it to affect treaties. Jenessa is the daughter of the former Chief of Meathead Island and half-sister to Mogadon."

Stoick nods warily, he vaguely remembered that. Old Olaf had been proud as all Hel of that girl of his and had shown her off any time she visited him. He seemed to recall the young Chief being close to his half-sister as well. Why didn't he remember this lass then? Dovon and Stoick aren't as close as they used to be in their younger years, but they're still allies. Has it really been that long since he's been to Bashem Island?

"I apologize lass, if your father is Dovon and you say he married you proper then I believe you. Forgive me, but my nature is to be skeptical."

Skeptical enough that he's sending a Terror to Dovon as soon as he leaves here.

Hiccup is still angry, but he's under control now. "So. If you're not just here to insult my wife and question the validity of my marriage, what exactly did you need?"

"Other than wanting to find out the exact circumstances behind this, since Ingmar never bothered telling me himself? I wanted to talk to you about Koen. Why he wasn't here when you were a child. Why I acted the way I did towards you. I've never apologized for anything in my life, but I'm willing to try."

Hiccup sits across the table and pulls the girl into his lap. She curls up, playing with the long edges of his hair but remaining silent. Stoick has never seen a Bog warrior who was content to sit on a man's lap or keep quiet before. He wonders if this is something she gets from Dovon, because he sure as Hel hasn't ever seen Bertha act like this.

"The circumstances behind _this_ are actually rather straightforward. I met Cami, we fell in love. I told Ingmar the truth, but he didn't want to risk the Jorgensons finding out Astrid had a failed betrothal and forcing you to get involved so we left the contract alone. I was travelling and we were together so it didn't matter, and it protected Astrid from Snotlout. When Cami convinced me to come back to Berk I decided we weren't going to wait any longer. I didn't want to show up here and have you make an immediate announcement of the upcoming wedding, only for me to refuse to marry her at that point. I wrote Ingmar to tell him that Dovon was marrying us whether he broke the betrothal or not."

"You were going to marry another woman while you were betrothed? Did you even stop to think…" Stoick is building up a pretty good head of steam, but Hiccup interrupts him.

"If Ingmar had refused to release me from the contract, we were going to come back so I could be officially disowned and then move to Koen's lands if it came down to it."

His son really hadn't planned on coming back, had actually been making plans to do the very opposite of returning to Berk. Stoick is in a bit of shock and if he cares to admit it he's very hurt. He can't stop himself from lashing out a little, "She would have been disowned right alongside you, you muttonhead! Not just by her mother, Dovon would have had to disavow her to keep the treaties in place! Did you think of that or were you just thinking with your cock?"

"I'm all but officially disowned anyways." There is sadness in her voice that causes the large man to stop ranting at his son. "Mother and Jenessa won't formally disavow me, but I married willingly and left the Bog. Some of my tribeswomen aren't so forgiving."

Hiccup buries his head in the girl's shoulder and mumbles something low that Stoick can't quite hear, but her soft reply is audible. "You are so worth it. I love you, you big dummy."

He suddenly understands exactly what his son sees in this girl, because hearing somebody say those words to Hiccup is a crushing reminder that he has never said anything even remotely that encouraging to his son in his entire life. He was too caught up in his grief over Valka, and then in his impossible expectations for a boy who was never going to be able to measure up, and then in his disappointment in those expected failures to ever make sure that his son understood something that basic.

For the first time in nineteen years, Stoick is actually glad Valka is in a place where he can't hear her. She would be screaming at him like the fabled Celt ghosts his dad used to tell tale of for making their child feel so unloved that being disowned and leaving forever was a consideration.

Hiccup thinks Ragnarok must be beginning when he sees a tear roll down his father's cheek. If this were anyone else he would immediately suspect them of using artifice to play upon his own feelings, but this is Stoick the Vast. The man renowned throughout the allied tribes for having no emotions.

He clears his throat roughly, "Of course, I was hoping that you wouldn't have to disown me, Dad. Willing to leave and wanting to leave are different things." Hiccup has his own fair share of pride to nurse and the word 'sorry' doesn't come as easily to his lips as it did when he was a kid.

Stoick's eyes are still downcast, "You wanted to leave five years ago."

He nods slowly, "I needed to find a way to stop being Useless five years ago. You became a man by killing dragons, and I became a man by showing others how to stop killing them."

The conversation between father and son runs long into the night. They discuss Valka and how losing her made Stoick almost resentful for being left with a child he didn't understand. Stoick admits that having Koen around was too painful at first, and then after their fight he was too prideful to allow his brother in law near his son. Hiccup explains how his father's unattainable expectations and disdain nearly destroyed his sense of self-worth and how Cami was the person who finally helped him overcome his past and become a confident person capable of inspiring others to follow him.

Cami has long since fallen asleep curled in Hiccup's lap. With her guard down and her hand clutched tightly in his son's shirt for security, Stoick can finally look past the earlier hostility from the girl.

"She's definitely a rare beauty, son. I'm so sorry about earlier, I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on the lass."

The look on his son's face as he smiles down at his sleeping wife is one Stoick knows well. Tenderness, exasperation, and above all else love. His son loves this wild Bog warrior the way he loved his Valka. His chest constricts tightly and he has to clear his throat twice before he can speak again, "Go on, then. Take the poor lassie up to bed, we've been jawing at each other for hours now."

Hiccup nods and adjusts his hold on his wife before rising and heading for the stairs with her in his arms as Stoick shows himself to the front door.

"Dad?" He doesn't turn around to look at the large man, "You do know I love you, right? I mean, neither one of us was good at saying it but I do."

Stoick doesn't turn around either, "Aye, son. I always knew it. And I hope you always did too, even when I wasn't showing you."

Hiccup starts up the stairs and Stoick quietly closes the door behind him. Enough has been said for one night, they can always talk more at another time.

….

 **If nobody's worked it out yet, Cami is about a year younger than Hiccup. The reason Stoick doesn't remember hearing that Dovon is her father is because the announcement was made shortly after Valka was taken. He just blanked it out due to his grief.**


	8. Chapter 8

**This is a fluffy chapter. I'm not really one for lots of angst so when I write it, I tend to counterbalance it with something happier.**

 **I wasn't planning to update again this quickly since I'm only 5 chapters ahead of you guys at this point, but my sister called me to come babysit my nephew for a few days and she is seriously the last person under the age of 80 in this country that doesn't have an internet connection. So I probably won't update again until next week, sorry.**

… **..**

Chapter 8

Astrid is expecting to meet Hiccup's quiet, exotic looking aunt when she leads her mother into the clearing where the newcomers are settling in, but the dark haired woman is nowhere to be seen.

Othere is already hard at work on a house on the far edge of the clearing. The Hofferson women can't help but take a moment to admire the flex and stretch of his muscles as he lifts a log into position and hammers it home.

"Well dear, if you had to marry a total stranger at least he's easy on the eyes." Edrea chuckles quietly at Astrid's outraged face. "I'm just saying, dear. Hiccup definitely became a handsome man, but he'll never have a body like that."

Astrid flushes hotly, her voice nowhere near as quiet as intended, "Mother, please!"

Othere turns at the sound of her voice and gestures for her to wait just a moment while he works quickly to secure some timbers and place his tools safely back in their wooden chest before pulling his tunic back on. He walks over to them and offers his hand to Edrea, startling the woman. She's never had a man want to shake her hand. As enlightened as Berk is compared to most of their allied tribes, women still aren't seen the same way as men. She recovers quickly and shakes his hand.

"Mrs. Hofferson, I'm sorry I didn't have the pleasure of meeting you last night. Astrid, I'm happy to see you this morning."

He isn't really sure how to interact with his betrothed or his betrothed's mother, so he's winging it and copying how he's seen Hiccup talk with women over the years. Most of those women were Bog, and they demanded to be treated as men would be. He has no idea that something as minor as a handshake has just earned him a great deal of favor with his future mother in law.

"Avita isn't feeling well this morning, so Cami offered to help you ladies. All of my fabrics that you might possibly want or need are at her house. Pick whatever you want for your gown, any other clothes you need, or anything for the house. Cami hates working with a needle, but Avita said if she's feeling better this afternoon she'll come help you ladies with your sewing."

He's been leading them through the clearing toward Hiccup and Cami's house while he's talking and he knocks on the door without further preamble.

After several moments go by without the door opening, Othere chuckles and get a look of sheer mischief on his normally serious face. Instead of knocking politely again, he brings a huge fist up to pound on the door until it rattles on its hinges.

"Haddock! Let your wife out of bed before noon for once!"

Edrea covers a snort with her hand and Astrid laughs softly. Othere grins at her and winks. "Watch, he'll be in a sad state when he opens the door."

Sure enough, the three of them hear cursing and a crash of something being knocked over before Hiccup throws open the door and glares at Othere. "What the fuck are you…"

He catches sight of Edrea next to Othere and his entire face goes the color of a lingonberry.

"Edrea! Ah, I wasn't expecting you this morning… not that you aren't welcome! It's nice to see you. How are you?" He runs a hand through his hair and sighs loudly. "I'm just going to shut up now."

Othere is having a hard time not laughing in the younger man's face. His hair is standing on end, there's an obvious love bite on his throat, and his clothes are a mess. His tunic is on inside out and the laces on his pants aren't tied. He can only pray to Thor that Cami had the good sense to dress herself properly. Hiccup hears the snort that finally escapes Othere's throat and narrows his eyes.

"Don't you have a house to build?" The snarl is ineffective against Othere's much elevated mood.

"I do have a house to build. And your lazy arse was supposed to be over there helping me build it an hour ago. Your wife is helping my lady go through some of my fabrics so she can augment her sewing projects before the wedding, remember? We arranged it just this morning because Avita is feeling poorly."

Cami ducks under Hiccups' arm and steps out to greet their visitors. "Good morning Mrs. Hofferson, It's lovely to meet you. Good morning, Astrid." She shoves at her husband because he's still blocking their doorway. "Go play builders with Othere, darling. We have some work to do today."

Edrea is watching the interaction between Hiccup, his wife, and his friend with amusement. Even though they're making jokes at his expense, it's light-hearted and fond rather than the cruelty he endured as a child and young teenager. From the hint of mischief in his eyes, she's sure he's acting more put out with them than he actually is and it eases her mind to see him happy.

Cami watches her husband walking away next to Othere with amusement, he still hasn't noticed the state of his clothing. Halfway back across the clearing must have been when Othere finally decided to clue him in because Cami hears him yell, "Oh for the love of Odin!" before he turns back towards her.

"Woman, you're supposed to tell me things like this before I make an arse of myself!"

She laughs at his indignation and finally gestures the other two women to follow her into the house, stepping around a chest as she goes.

"Sorry, we're not completely unpacked yet, so there are still some things laying around."

She leads them to her large table near the hearth where there are piles of fabrics. Astrid sees many more bolts leaning against the wall, some of them in colors she's never seen before. Berk is very much a place of varying shades of brown with some greens and the occasional blues or reds if they have enough berries during the summer to spare for dyes after putting most up for the winter. She realizes that her husband-to-be has obviously traveled the world outside of their small archipelago and she suddenly feels very young and inexperienced.

Cami has been prattling on about details like furs for trimmings and embroideries to Edrea, but she sees the overwhelmed look on Astrid's face and an unexpected feeling of sympathy hits her. It wasn't so very long ago that she felt small and insignificant around Hiccup because she was a girl from the Bog and he traveled the world on his dragon. She shifts a pile of silks off of the table and gestures to the women to sit and bustles about putting water on to heat and finding the tea leaves Hiccup brought her from his last trading expedition. She thinks a cup of tea might calm the poor girl a bit.

"So, I know this all looks like a lot but we can take it in smaller steps, Astrid. Do you have any ideas for colors you might like? Or what you want your gown to look like? I'm not much for sewing, but I help Avita out with design ideas. I can sketch something up if you like?"

Astrid starts looking at the fabrics again, trying to find a color that appeals to her. Her mother starts offering suggestions and asking what colors that they're unfamiliar with are called. Astrid tries to tune everything else out and just look, hoping something will beat out the chaos this is causing in her head and just be _right_.

Cami sets mugs of hot tea sweetened with honey in front of both women and begins explaining the drink and where it comes from to Edrea. It smells good, but Astrid is holding a particularly beautiful piece of fabric and isn't paying attention to the other women.

"Cami, what is this called?" She holds the piece up for inspection and Cami smiles.

"Oh, that's lace. Avita's younger sisters live at Koen's hall and they make it for him to use for trading. It looks like another form of sewing to me, but they call it tatting. Usually it's not in such big pieces. Koen sections it out and sells it for use as trimmings, but Othere really liked this piece and traded him for it."

She fingers the delicate woven strands softly. "Do you think he would mind if I used it?"

Cami walks around the table and nudges Astrid to stand. She starts wrapping the lace around the girls' thin frame and looking critically at how it drapes and flows, ideas already tickling in her mind. Edrea is quiet but looks a little concerned.

"Mama, you don't like it?" Her voice is small and Edrea smooths out her features.

"It's beautiful, dear… but won't a dress made of this be a little… revealing? You'll be able to see clear through it."

"Well, there isn't enough of this to make a full gown, Edrea." Astrid's face falls at Cami's words. Cami rushes to reassure her. "What we'll do is use this to cover over another cloth as an accent. If you pick something else you really like, I'll show you what I'm talking about."

Astrid returns to sorting through the fabric, each color and each pattern more beautiful and exotic looking to her than the one before. She's just planning on letting the right one find her again.

Cami leads Edrea up the stairs to where she keeps her own sewing goods and asks the older women to help her carry one of the large chests back down so that Astrid can pick trims and embellishments if she wants them. When they set the chest down next to the table, Cami sees that Astrid is holding a pale pink silk and smiles fondly. This particular silk was part of an experiment gone very, very right.

Sven was trying to tan the leather from Lady's most recent shed, but when he took the hide out it was white. He called Hiccup in to see if he'd done the process wrong, but both men were stumped. Avita was the one to suggest attempting to dye some cloth with the liquid. The results were both beautiful and lucrative. They'd initially used wool fullcloth, and it gave a rich pink effect very close to the color of Lady's hide. Off-whites like linen produced a color with a yellowy hue to it that Hiccup said was coral. When Koen came across a couple bolts of white silk and decided to dye it, the result was a muted color. They weren't sure if it was the properties of the silk, or that the dye was several days old by that point. One of those bolts had fetched an exorbitant price in the Far East. The second one they'd split between themselves for personal use or smaller trading journeys.

Cami takes the silk and settles it around Astrid, smiling happily. Her own blonde hair is lighter and her skin is paler. On her, the delicate color makes her look faded. Astrid's skin is peaches and cream and her hair is rich gold, the color is beautiful on her. She lays the fine lace over the silk and Astrid lets out a gasp, tears gathering in her blue eyes.

"Is there enough of this one?"

Cami asses the material carefully, "Between what Othere has here and what I have upstairs, we'll have enough. I also have some smaller pieces of the lace in my trunk that we can use. And Avita should have some of both as well if we need them.

The door opens, and as if summoned by mention of her name the other woman steps in carefully. She's still looking peaked, her hair is in a messy braid and she's wearing an old tunic and linen trousers. She's a far cry from the elegant, exotic lady who sat next to Stoick in the Great Hall last night.

"Cami, darling… do you still have mint? We're out until Koen has a chance to get back to Bashem and see your father."

She sees the other two women and can't help but smile at the fabrics draped on Astrid. "That color suits you beautifully, piccola. Cami is far too fair and I'm far too dark for such a delicate color. Luka doesn't care for pink and Kairi can't wear it with her red hair. I honestly despaired of ever seeing a gown made of that silk."

Cami is bustling around in her kitchen looking for the herbs she needs. Avita's stomach is delicate and when they visit a new place it usually takes her a day or two to become accustomed to the local foods. She scowls at her chest of spices, it's getting leaner than she's been used to since she started travelling with Hiccup and she knows he won't have time to go to a market town before winter.

"I have ginger. If I brew it weak, will it help?"

Avita smiles weakly at her and pats her face as she walks past to take a seat at the table next to Edrea. "Yes, darling that'll be lovely. Koen's just going to have to leave me here and go to one of the markets before winter. He'll go faster if he takes Sven with him than if we all load up and go."

Cami nods while she's working, her mind going in about four directions at once.

"So with her build, I'd say an empire waist wouldn't you, Avita?"

Those dark eyes are frankly assessing and Astrid for the first time feels a small stirring of shame at her non-existent figure. She has no hips or breasts worth speaking of and she's never outgrown the gangly foal look she had as a teenager. Cami and Avita are both lean and well curved, she can't help feeling a little self-conscious.

"No. She's so very slim, we should accent that. The volume of the gown can be in the draping sleeves, the rest should be fitted. Don't you still have that pearl girdle? You could loan it to her for the day, it would be perfect with the lace and the pink."

Cami is nodding and starts wrapping the silk about her body tighter, trying to show Edrea the effect they're going for. Explaining that even though they plan on making it fitted they'll make sure she's able to move her legs well enough to dance.

They're discussing necklines with her mother but she's starting to panic a bit. Being betrothed to Hiccup was never a real thing to her mind. Everyone was wrong in assuming that she hated Hiccup; she acted out against him because of what he represented, not who he was. It was the thought of marrying in general that made her so angry and she did her level best to ignore the looming deadline the contract hung over her head. As she got older and the thought of marriage itself stopped bothering her as much Hiccup wasn't there to marry her, so it was still intangible.

Now, she has an honest to Odin betrothed that she can't leave. She doesn't want to because if she found a reason to break this betrothal, Stoick will have to let the eligible men of Berk make offers for her and she knows who'll win that contest.

But she has no clue how to be a wife. She's always deliberately tuned out such conversations and now she's wishing she hadn't.

Avita sees the distress on the young woman's face and her heart hurts for the girl. She's heard all of the stories from Hiccup and was outraged on her nephew's behalf, but in the back of her mind she always thought that there had to be more behind the girl suddenly going from being neutral to actively despising him.

"Cami, dearest, I'm not up to walking back over to my house yet. Can you go fetch my silk and lace? Koen knows where it is and if we use mine as well we should have enough to make a cloak for her as well. I know Othere has some white fox fur we could line it with."

Cami is far from dim, so she shoots a look at Avita. The older woman nudges her chin slightly at Astrid and Cami sees the panicked expression. She hides a wince, hoping her own enthusiasm for the project wasn't a contributing factor.

"Yes, of course I will! Let me just grab some cheese and bread so I can drop off a snack for the boys on my way." She quickly bustles about her kitchen grabbing some food for Othere and Hiccup and a pail of water so they can have a drink before letting herself out.

Avita smiles gently at Astrid, "You can sit down, piccola. Why are you upset? Is it just having to marry a stranger?"

Astrid's lip quivers for a second, "No, it's not that per se. Othere is a much better option than Snotlout, and he seems to be a genuinely kind man. I just… Before, when they first made the contract I didn't want to get married at all. Ever." She looks ashamed when her mother gasps softly.

"So that's why you treated Hiccup so badly? Astrid, you should have talked to me instead of being so horrible to him!"

She gives her mother a sad look, "I understood why daddy wanted the contracts done, but I just didn't want to get married."

Edrea looks both concerned and disapproving, "Darling, you should have told us rather than acting as you did. Or if not us you should have talked to Hiccup instead of causing him so much pain."

"What's done is done." Avita's calm voice cuts in before Edrea can get too worked up. "It worked out better in the long run anyway, because my nephew was always meant for Cami. But little one, are you ready to be a wife to a man you don't even know? You couldn't stand the thought of marrying a boy you knew all your life, this has to be terrifying you."

"I'm nervous. I spent so many years deliberately avoiding any discussions about marriage or how to run my own house. I'm not good at cooking or cleaning and now I have to learn on the fly in front of a husband I don't even know. I don't want him to regret saving me."

"Dearest girl, Othere may have been a Chieftain's son at one point, but he spent more years as a slave than he did as a privileged man. He doesn't have notions of what a wife "should" do and most of how he treats women he learned watching Hiccup deal with the Bog women. He knows how to cook and he's quite good. I'm sure he wouldn't mind teaching you." She smiles with a bit of mischief, "Beside, Cami never has acquired any fondness for housekeeping. She grew up in the Chieftess's house in Breakneck, her mother always had menservants to clean for her."

Astrid looks around the spacious house. Other than a few trunks to unpack the place is homey and well organized. "She must have learned really fast then."

Avita's laugh is a lilting tickle that makes both Hofferson women smile as well. "Hiccup does most of it, even though he grew up in Berk where women typically keep the house. He had no mother to do the housework, and Stoick keeps no servants here so he had to learn. She's gotten much better since they married, but even if she never cared to learn at all he would clean the house and love her the same."

"So Othere won't mind if I'm not great at first?"

Avita starts gathering up the empty mugs and sets about washing up those and the few things Cami still had in her wash pan from breakfast. "Darling girl, he's used to doing for himself. I'd be amazed if he immediately reverted to expecting a woman to cater to him after marriage, he spent too much time in the Bog for that. Just tell him truthfully what you feel you need help with and he will."

Edrea reaches across the table and pats her hand fondly, "Remember dearest, he has no idea how to be a husband any more than you have of how to be a wife. Learn with him, you'll both be happier for it."

Astrid smiles and begins assess her pink silk and lace again happily, her joy in making a pretty gown for her wedding restored after the reassurances from the older women.


	9. Chapter 9

**This is probably the closest I can get to a true battle scene, they're just not my thing to write. This is also the closest I get to anything of the Dub/Con or assault type scenes. Fair warning, there is unpleasantness from about halfway through this chapter to the end. It's not graphic but some people may find it upsetting.**

… **..**

Chapter 9

After the first week of working on the house, Othere had to break for storms. He's nearly a month behind where he wanted to be and pissed at the world by the time the gods deign to give him decent weather to work in again.

"I keep telling you, this is how weather works in Berk, Othere." Hiccup is acknowledged as an unparalleled smith, but few people know his carpentry is almost as good. Othere is willing to put up with his unceasing chatter today for the help he brings. "It's never good, but it sometimes isn't as bad as others."

The larger man drives another nail into the board he is using to frame a window and grunts, "I promised I would have this done by month's end and I'm already a week past that. Your father made the arrangement sound conditional on getting it done soonest so your fucking idiot cousin would give up on having my betrothed."

Hiccup nods solemnly, "I understand. He's said a few disturbing things when he's deep in his cups recently. She was never his, but he acts like she's a toy somebody took away from him."

"I know." The look he gives Hiccup is murderous. "You'll be short a cousin if he ever acts on any of those thoughts. It's bad enough that Ingmar and Edrea won't let her out of the house alone anymore. You can imagine the wonders that's done for her disposition."

That last part is said in an aggrieved tone of voice, and Hiccup hides a smile. Othere spends his evenings with the Hofferson family since the night in the Great Hall and he quickly went from formality to affection for his intended's parents. He's also developed quite the protective streak where Astrid is concerned. He punched Sven for calling her the She-demon, when a month ago he'd said it himself to her face. Hiccup doubts the quiet giant has even considered it, but it looks like there may be some genuine affection between the two before they marry. He and Cami discussed their friend and his impending marriage the night before and she was of the same opinion. She's been spending her days helping the other ladies sew much as she hates plying a needle, but trying to make a gown the likes of which she and Avita designed requires all hands on deck to get it done in time. She says Astrid has started blushing at mere mention of Othere, so of course the married ladies mention him (and his muscles) as often as possible to watch the poor girl's face go crimson.

"Othere!" Both men look up from their work, and see Ingmar and Stoick heading for them. "We've come to help, boys. The sooner we get this done, the better. Astrid is about to kill Stoick's nephew herself to escape having to be escorted at all times."

Hiccup can't help a smart-assed remark, "She'd be doing Berk a huge favor; I'll personally forge her a medal and we'd have an excuse to have a feast. Why are you stopping her again, Ingmar?"

Stoick glares at his friend, "Half nephew, don't try to relate the idiot to me any more than he already is. If Gerda'd give me a reason to, I'd ship the both of them off of Berk and right to Outcast Island."

"Sir, why hasn't your sister come to you about the treatment her husband puts her through?" Othere doesn't see Hiccup and Ingmar both frantically trying to head him off from asking that particular question until it's too late.

"She hated my father, lad. And that transferred to me when I was born." Stoick's face is calm but his voice is bitter. "We share a mother, but not a father. Her natural father died in a dragon raid when she was seven. She resented my father for marrying our mother, even though he loved her and always treated her as his own. When I was born she blamed me for taking our mother's attention from her."

Stoick walks over to grab a hammer and an uncomfortable silence settles over them as they give the large man time to gather himself. Hiccup walks past and claps a hand on his father's shoulder briefly, for once keeping his sarcasm to himself. Stoick doesn't talk about the animosity between himself and his sister often, or any of his emotions really. Levity won't help, and might damage the tenuous relationship finally starting to build between the Haddock men.

Othere goes back to framing the window and Ingmar takes up working wattling into the chinks between the logs of the wall around it. The older man clearly has something on his mind, but Othere holds his peace. He's learned that pushing Ingmar never works but silence usually gets him talking.

"Othere, Astrid is really suffering under these restrictions. I trust you to take care of her and I trust you to do right by her. Can you take her away for a few hours this evening? I don't want her out on Stormfly because that Nadder would lose your dragon in an instant and I don't think she could carry you both, but if Astrid rides with you I know she'll be safe."

"You know, of course that Astrid isn't the only one with a threat over her head." Othere looks meaningfully towards where Hiccup is hewing floorboards out of logs. "I don't want to double up on Slate, because strong and loyal as he is he's not made for a fast get away. If Dagur is out there watching for a chance to draw Hiccup out, two people on a Gronkle would be right out of his most twisted fantasies."

Ingmar nods slowly, "You're right of course. I was just hoping an evening out would cheer her up some."

Othere thinks for a second and then calls to his friend, "Hiccup, what are you and Cami doing tonight?"

Hiccup flushes and growls at the larger man, "I am not playing your game in front of my father and your future father in law!"

Othere stares blankly for a moment before he catches Hiccups' meaning and chokes on laughter. "No, you randy bastard… I was wondering if you and Cami wanted some company this evening. Astrid needs to get out and about for a while."

Hiccup's face is too red for his expression to be effective, but he's glaring at the other men anyways. Stoick and Ingmar are both trying valiantly not to laugh at him, but it's a fight they're losing. Othere doesn't bother to hide his own laughter.

"I swear, Hiccup… you've been together for years, you're almost eight months married, and you're in that poor girls' skirts every time I turn around. How is she not pregnant yet?"

"I married Bog, my friend." The smirk on Hiccup's face is truly impressive. "She has her ways and she wants to enjoy being married for a while more before we get saddled with babes."

Othere looks thoughtful, "Do you think she would tell Astrid?"

"Pffft. As much grief as you've given us for close to three years, you think we'd help you? I'll enjoy tormenting you about not getting any because your wife is constantly exhausted from chasing your brats around. Berk women tend to be really good breeders, have fun with that."

Both of the older men take exception to the topic at hand, but for different reasons. Ingmar can't help the queasy feeling churning his belly because, damn it all to Hel that is his daughter those two diseased sons of Loki are discussing like that!

Stoick is still annoyed that his son has been having a relationship, a physical relationship, for a lot longer than his betrothal has been broken. To his mind it's as good as adultery, and that's just something that a future Chief doesn't do He knows most men wouldn't care about it, but he's still not happy that Hiccup married without his permission and didn't even bother to invite him. He knows it's a pointless thing to be upset over since it's over and done with, but he still is.

He won't say a word though. The argument they had Hiccup's first night back rings in Stoick's ears when he thinks about it overlong. He knows his feelings about this are all mixed up with his quilt over his treatment of his son in the past and his anger that the boy left all those years ago. He won't argue about old discords again. Hiccup will leave, without a backward glance and probably with his dead body lying in the forest. And now that would take Ingmar's daughter away from Berk as well, because the giant will pack up and follow his son at the earliest opportunity after the wedding.

He's still not ready to completely forgive Dovon and Bertha though. Allies don't marry off each other's children without sending a note! They could have let him know after the fact at the very least.

But it's not worth another fight with his son. He wants a good relationship with Hiccup and Cami, because one day they will have kids and he wants to be a grandpa. He knows it won't make up for the years he wasn't a good father, but he wants to try and they're willing so far to let him be part of their lives. It's a good start.

He starts laying the floorboards Hiccup has been cutting and smoothing. The swing of the hammer soothing him as it always does whether it's in battle or for building. If Stoick hadn't become Chief he would have gone into carpentry himself.

"So, Hiccup… tonight? Dinner and dice?" Othere finds himself actually hopeful of what could be construed as a date.

Hiccup and Cami are married so they technically count as chaperones, and Ingmar has stated his trust in Othere to take care of his daughter. They can have an evening of fun with people their own age and not have to worry about ruining Astrid's reputation.

Hiccup gauges the position of the sun, "I'll have to bow out of helping in about an hour if you guys want edible food. If I finishing splitting the log and hewing boards will you be alright without me?"

Othere nods and moves on to helping Stoick lay the floor while Ingmar goes back to filling in the chinks and Hiccup keeps working on the floorboards.

The men jest back and forth, never suspecting any danger this close to Berk Village. But danger is watching them work, plotting.

**That evening**

Astrid still can't believe that after all the animosity and hurt between her and Hiccup that he can just welcome her into his home like an old friend, but that's exactly what he did. He and Cami invited her and Othere over for the evening, and for her it was a gods-sent chance to escape for a while.

She thinks her father and Othere are overreacting to the idiot and his drunken stupidity. She doesn't need to stay in the house unless one of them is free to go with her. Especially since they never are! This is the yaks' calving season, so her dad is constantly getting called out to help save a calf or monitor a first time mother to make sure things go smoothly. And Othere is working night and day on their house, trying to get it finished as quickly as possible after the rains slowed him down.

According to Cami, he's been dragging Hiccup out with him every day. The other blonde is snippy about it because it's cutting in to her time with her husband, but he's been so busy that despite her normal dislike of sewing Cami has been at the Hofferson house every day to help.

She's no longer concerned about finishing a trousseau, because when Cami comes to sew, she brings Kairi with her. Avita and her mother became fast friends; since Koen and Sven left to make a final trip to the market towns before winter the Roman woman is at their house more often than not as well. Between the five of them working long hours, her beautiful gown is done and sewn into a linen shroud to keep it perfect for her wedding. Then they moved on to linens for the bed, drying linens, table cloths, several new sets of undergarments, day dresses, warm cloaks for winter, and even curtains for her windows.

"Astrid?" Othere nudges her gently, "Are you alright, Little one?"

She smiles up at him and nods, not minding that he's developed a pet name for her.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Othere. Tonight was really fun, and even though I apologized to Hiccup and he said he accepted, I was glad to see he really doesn't hate me."

"He never hated you, Astrid. He was hurt that you could treat him so badly without ever giving him a chance."

She shivers a bit in the chilly evening air, so he wraps an arm around her shoulder to tuck her into his side. He'll never admit it out loud, but he likes the feel of her pulled up snugly to him.

Othere wishes Slate hadn't picked this evening to start his shed, because he would feel a lot better if he could just fly Astrid back into Berk Village instead of walking her home in the dark. He knows it's ridiculous, but he's been uneasy ever since Snotlout started making his drunken threats against Astrid.

Hiccup offered to take her on Toothless, but nobody really felt there was sufficient threat to warrant such drastic action. The last thing either couple needs is more gossip, and Hiccup being seen alone with Astrid would definitely start tongues wagging.

Toothless was willing to take them but he can't carry anybody else if Othere rides him, the man is almost too large for the Night Fury. Astrid can't yet ride Toothless alone as she doesn't know how to control his prosthetic fin, although Hiccup insists that anybody who travels with them learns in case of emergencies.

Othere tries to shake off his misgivings. Snotlout is a woman-beater like his father and might do harm to Astrid if he caught her alone and unaware, but the craven little coward would never try to take on a man he couldn't hope to win against. It was in that logic Othere made his gravest miscalculation. He was assuming that Snotlout was rational enough to think things through, and that he would be alone so nobody else could bear witness to any crime he would commit.

Othere hears a branch snapping and turns, but before he can see what is behind him he takes a blow to the head that drops him. Astrid's scream cuts off abruptly at the same time he hears a voice he'd hoped to never hear again.

"Well, well, well… looks like my long lost slave has found me again after all these years. _SO_ disloyal, running off like that. I hate disloyalty."

The blow to his head still has him disoriented, so he can't defend when another blow catches him in the ribs, cracking a few. Dagur's manic face is gloating above him.

"Call him out for me, slave. Call for the Dragon Master and MY Night Fury. Let them try to save your pathetic life again!" He grunts as a blade is rammed into his abdomen, but he doesn't cry out. It's not a fatal blow since it missed all of his organs, it's meant to weaken him, to cause pain. Dagur knows exactly how to keep people alive when he wants to inflict pain.

His frantic eyes sweep around the clearing until they find Astrid. She's doing her damnedest to fight off Hiccups' soon to be VERY dead cousin, but it's a fight she's not going to win. He starts trying to crawl toward her, but another kick to his ribs flips him onto his back and cracks a few more bones causing him to have to bite his lip to keep from yelling.

Dagur is laughing that crazed giggle of his that always made Othere's blood run cold as he watches Snotlout finally overpower Astrid and force her down. He rolls and tries to crawl toward her again, he's going to die trying before he lets those vile bastards hurt her.

"Awwwww! How CUTE!" Dagur's mocking voice is loud in the quiet of the night, "My slave is trying to save the damsel in distress. I guess he hasn't lost enough blood yet if he's got the strength for that!"

Another vicious kick to his battered ribs flips him onto his back again and a spear is driven through his shoulder into the ground, effectively pinning him down.

The crazed Berserker Chief squats down beside him and twists his head by the hair to force him to watch as Snotlout starts cutting through Astrid's clothing. He's had to tie her hands to a tree to keep her from fighting, but she's still struggling, refusing to go down without a fight. Her shoulder is at an odd angle and it might be dislocated, but she's not begging or crying.

"You know, slave… your little girlfriend was his price. Even I thought that was a bit much, to hurt an innocent girl over refusing to marry him, and we both know how much I like hurting people… but I needed an insider on Berk. He helps me get to Hiccup, and he gets her. You were just a bit of unfinished business I get to wrap up as an added bonus."

Othere's voice is raspy, the blood loss starting to affect him, "But you don't have Hiccup. He's getting paid for nothing and once he's had her he can turn you over to Stoick the Vast without you ever even seeing Hiccup."

That demented light is back in Dagur's eyes, "You're right! You always were a clever boy, slave."

The Berserker rises and walks across to where Snotlout is struggling to contain Astrid's legs. She's managed to land several good kicks on him, one to the groin. Dagur grabs the shorter man from behind by the hair and wrests him off of Astrid.

"Ah, ah, ah! You haven't earned your payment yet, Berkian. Where is Hiccup? Where is my Night Fury?"

Othere never thought he could feel gratitude towards Dagur in his life, but at the moment, the mad Chieftain and his paranoia are quite literally saving Astrid from being violated. He knows this momentary distraction will only buy him so much time and he doesn't intend to waste it. He starts trying to yank the spear out of his shoulder, and he can see Astrid is working the bindings on her wrists against the rough bark hoping to fray the linen.

He just doesn't have the strength or leverage to free himself, he's lost too much blood and Dagur drove the spear a good six inches into the ground beneath him. He starts trying to break the shaft, hoping he can get it close enough to his shoulder that he can just sit up and let it run through. He sees the bindings on Astrid's hands break free and she's off like a shot through the woods. Snotlout immediately gives chase, but he likes her chances. She's fast and agile, and she knows these woods like the back of her hand.

Dagur turns back to him and sees his hands working desperately to break the spear. That crazed smile is twisting his face and a chilling giggle rings through the clearing again.

"I can just kill you. He'll come for me if I do it right. I can't offer you the chance to die in battle, obviously. And I can't just cut your throat. No, sadly for you, your death will have to make a statement, slave. You won't enjoy this, but I promise you I will."

The first kick catches him in the side of the head, but doesn't disorient him as much as Dagur was hoping for. When the Berserker hovers over him, putting a blade to his eyes as if deciding which one to cut out first Othere strikes like lighting, driving his free hand up into the unprotected face above him and breaking the other man's nose.

"You lied to me, Dagur. I might die, but now I can promise you I'll enjoy it!"

He's hoping he enraged the madman enough to strike a quick killing blow, he's seen what Dagur does to people when he wants to take his time.

Dagur is about to drive the blade into his throat when they hear a dragon roar and he jumps to his feet with that maniacal grin once again on his face, "My Night Fury! Perhaps that worthless Berkian delivered after all!"

But the dragon that's screaming isn't Toothless, Othere can tell Mango is on her way. Hopefully with reinforcements, and that it means Astrid is safe.

Dagur has forgotten about the wounded man at his feet as he whips around trying to watch all directions at once, knowing if that Night Fury can get behind him he'll be dead. Othere sees his chance and takes it, grabbing Dagur's ankle and yanking, pulling the smaller man off balance and causing him to lose his knife as he falls. He brings his free hand down as if he's swinging a hammer and smashes Dagur in the face again. He feels the cuts on his hand from the other man's teeth shattering and swings once more, hoping to knock the madman out. He doesn't get that lucky, but he demolishes the Berserker's already broken nose, the other man is writhing in agony instead of going for his knife again.

Mango drops into the clearing and Cami is off her back in an instant. She takes in the scene and scowls before she uses one of her swords to pin Dagur. If he's stupid enough to try to free himself, he'll slice his hands to ribbons in the process.

She places a foot on Othere's injured shoulder, "Hold still a minute, my friend. This is going to hurt." She starts hacking at the shaft with her other sword, every vibration from the wood causing his wound to scream in protest. He knows this is best though. If she pulls the head of the spear backwards through the injury, his shoulder will never heal correctly.

She finally cuts the shaft short enough, and helps him to sit up. She starts checking immediately to make sure there are no splinters imbedded in the hole before she reaches into one of Mango's saddle bags for a poultice Avita makes that heads off infections and linens to bind him with.

"Astrid?"

She glares at him, "Don't speak, and concentrate on staying awake. Astrid is fine. She's with Luka and Kairi at my house, and they sent Toothless to find Stoick and Ingmar. Hiccup took Ocean and went after Snotlout."

She finishes with his shoulder and starts cleaning and bandaging the gash in his belly before moving on to wrap his ribs tightly. When she's finally done, He lurches to his feet unsteadily.

"Give me your sword, Cami."

She hands it over wordlessly, knowing exactly what he plans to do. She has her back to him putting her medical supplies into Mango's saddlebag when she hears the telltale whoosh and thunk, and the Berserker's muffled groans and cries of pain go silent.

She walks over and cuts a strip of leather out of the man's pants, dipping it into the blood pooled under his severed neck. They wait in silence several minutes as she works the blood into the soft leather and rubs it until it's dried. When she's satisfied, she plaits a braid into his hair behind his right ear and ties it off.

"The Deranged one will plague the allied tribes no more, thanks to you. Justice has been done on your behalf, and soon it will be done on your betrothed's behalf."

He cleans the blade of the short sword on Dagur's tunic and hands it back to her before grasping her other sword and yanking it out of the body for the same treatment. His knees are starting to shake and his vision is annoyingly blurry. Cami sees he's fading fast and calls for Mango, helping the large man to position himself across the shoulders of her Skrill before mounting up and taking off towards the healer in Berk Village.


	10. Author's Note

**Friends,**

 **I'm very sorry to say but there was an "incident" with my thumb-drive. My dork of a husband was being an idiot and tossed it at me last night, but I wasn't paying attention to him. It bounced off of our bed and broke on the floor.**

 **He was able to snap it back together long enough for me to move my writing files to a different thumb drive, but now a few of my files are refusing to open, saying they're corrupted. One of those files was Chapter 10 of Arranged. I also lost chapter 2 of the AU spinoff I've been working on, and a few one shots that I was really hoping to have done and posted by next weekend. Fortunately, the other chapters of Arranged that I already had completed are unaffected.**

 **I may, or may not, have actually channeled Hiccup for a minute and yelled, "Why do the gods hate me?" (Hint: I totally did, and he totally looked at me like I was nuts.)**

 **Hubby was unable to help me retrieve them from temp files or any other means, unfortunately. Between this fiasco and the fact that my re-take for the VTNE is scheduled for this Friday I just won't be able to post any updates for at least a week or so.**

 **I have to re-write a full chapter just for this story (not to mention the other stuff) and I can't do that leading up to my exam.**

 **I'm so sorry! I hope I can clear this all up quickly, and thank you all for sticking with this little story I got stuck in my head.**

 **Sage**


	11. Chapter 10

**Hello again! I passed my boards! I waited until my hubby and kids went to sleep to knock this chapter out, but I promised myself I wouldn't sleep til it was finally done. I've been fussing with it on and off all week when I wasn't studying, but I just haven't been happy with it. I don't think I'll ever like it quite as much as the original that got lost, but I can't ask you wonderful, patient readers to wait around another week while I pick and tweak and then probably STILL won't like it as much. I'm making sure I hit the pertinent plot points and TRYING to recreate as much as I can from memory. If this isn't up to the usual standard you're used to from me, I apologize.**

Chapter 10

He is a man with no name; it was lost along with his soul when he was captured from his homeland in Saxony and forced to sell his sword into the Assassin's Guild in Hedeby to survive. He retains some of his humanity though. He refuses to kill women or children. He's earned many a beating from his Masters for that, and will earn many more, he is sure. He refuses to make his targets suffer, no matter how much he is offered. He knows many of his Brothers have no such compunctions, but he clings to those last bits of his honor with both hands.

So when a small flying reptile brings him a note, he is honor-bound to pay his one outstanding debt.

A Northman saved his life. He flew in on a great black beast and scared off the villagers that were about to hang a nameless assassin. He considered this a debt owed to the Northman only because he hadn't killed the man he was to be hung for killing. Ironic as it was, it was truth. An innocent assassin; even God can jest occasionally, he supposes.

The purse tied to the small creature's leg is full of gold coin, no expense is being spared in this request, although he would have done this particular job for free. The note he secures to the little beast is innocuous; unless one knows of his guild and is able to place him as a member of it, they would be hard pressed to assign any deeper meaning to his words.

 _Yes, I have the spices you require. I look forward to seeing you in Hedeby soon._

Yes, my services are available to you. The job will be done.

He looks over the letter he received one more time, committing it to his memory.

 _Friend,_

 _I have not the time to layer my meanings, so please destroy this missive once you've read it._

 _There is a man in my village who has committed great evils and he needs to meet he justice of the gods. I cannot be involved, no matter how dearly I wish to. My riders and I will be suspected immediately if this is not handled carefully._

 _This man beat a young girl simply because she looked similar to a woman he is obsessed with. He attacked that woman and her intended, and he harbored one of the greatest enemies of our tribe to do it. The woman was nearly raped and her intended was beaten within an inch of his life. My friend lies abed even now with broken ribs and stab wounds, and she cowers in fear of all men, even her own father._

 _I will have one of my riders in Hedeby in a few days' time. She is a young blond woman and she will be wearing my dragon sigil. She will know your description. Tell her you are the nameless one and she'll bring you to a safe location where I can meet with you to give you further details._

There is no signature, he doesn't know the Northman's name and he doesn't want to. Names aren't for one such as himself anyways. He knows who this is from because of a wax seal bearing the image of a curled black dragon with a red tailfin. The same beast the Northman was riding the day his life was spared.

**4 Days Later**

Although he's currently living in a cave, he feels like a king received at a palace. Enough firewood, food, and wine were left to see him through the next month, not just the week the Northman is expecting him to be here. There are piles of warms pelts and furs to lounge in, so even though he's far north of Hedeby and the autumn is much colder here he's had no trouble keeping warm. He was even given his own dragon to help facilitate this job! She's a lovely blue beast, but she can change her hide to blend into her surroundings, truly a fitting partner for an assassin to have.

The Northman came the night before and laid the job out for him. The plan is simple and he appreciates that, simple plans leave less room for error.

The Northman was incredibly insistent on one point, he and his riders cannot be suspected of foul play. He is to hide in the woods on Berk until the evening meal. Once he is certain that the Northman, his riders, and the girl's parents are all accounted for he is to hide behind the prisoner's shed until the guard brings him his supper and returns to the Hall. The Northman gave him a key to the lock on the shed. The key is to disappear into the ocean as soon as the job is done, because he is the only one on the island capable of producing such a thing so quickly. He is to kill the scum quickly and quietly. He is to make it look like the man took his own life if at all possible.

The Northman gave him a two week time frame, but did not want to know exactly when the job would be done, he said he would be able to act more believably surprised at the news if he didn't know when it was coming. When the job is finished, he is free to return to his guild. Or if he wants, he's free to return to Berk after a few weeks and live among them.

Being a man of action, he decides to act at the earliest opportunity. He leaves for Berk that very night. He's never worked with another living being before, but he's glad to have Bluebell with him. He dares not chance a fire, so he spends a cold autumn's night wrapped in a fur and with his warm dragon curled around him, hiding him from sight.

He's learned the forest around Berk Village fairly well by the following evening, having a dragon that can shield him from sight truly is a handy thing and he likes having several escape route options in mind. Always better safe than sorry.

The time for the evening meal finally draws near and he's made his way to the very edge of the woods with the help of his lovely new friend. He pats her smooth hide gently while quietly whispering his thanks to her, and she whuffs softly into his hair in what he understands to be an affectionate gesture. He's glad to have her company, because it's been a long wait.

He finally sees the group of people he was waiting for. The Northman, the two blonde women, a red-haired woman, a dark haired woman, and the older blonde couple. He knew the dark giant was still laid up, and his betrothed was with him in the healers hut. He watches them to ensure they are entering the Hall, and then he taps Bluebell and nods towards the shed set closer to the docks. With her help, making his way across the village and behind the small building is the work of moments instead of having to creep into every shadow and waste time watching to make sure he's unobserved.

Luck must be on his side, because he is in position less than ten minutes before he hears the guard grumbling to himself as he opens the door and calls out the prisoner to take his dinner. The soft clink of the tumblers sound as the guard relocks the door and rattles it to make sure it's secure. He sees the man head back toward the Hall for his own supper.

After a final cautious look around to make sure no late comers to the Hall will see him, he saunters casually around to the door and unlocks it. He pulls up his hood to cover the smirk he can feel on his face, and he thinks that for once maybe one of his victims does deserve to suffer before their death. Mentally, if not physically at least.

**40 Minutes Later**

Stoick is having a quiet conversation with Kairi about possibly training under their healer when he hears one of his men yelling for him.

Taavi bursts into the Hall, out of breath and still yelling, "Stoick! Chief, we need ya, there's a problem with the prisoner!"

He frowns, hoping the lunkhead hasn't escaped, "What's the problem?"

Taavi shoots an apologetic look off to his left and lowers his voice a little, but the entire Hall went silent at his first cry so his voice still carries. "The lad is dead, Stoick."

Gerda Jorgenson starts screaming. Edrea and Avita both rush to her side, trying to calm her, but she's straining against their arms wildly. Stoick makes his way down to his distraught sister quickly. "What happened, Taavi? Did someone do him harm..."

The guard shakes his head slowly, "No, It looks like the boy took the coward's way out, Chief. He ripped up his bedsheets to braid a noose and hanged himself. There's no note, and he even stacked up his supper dishes just like always."

The fight goes out of Gerda. She sinks to her knees, arms wrapped around her middle and rocking back and forth as she cries. Stoick kneels beside her and for the first time since he was a lad of four crying over bloodied knees, his older sister hugs him. He gathers her carefully into his arms, wishing it hadn't taken the death of her only child to bring it about.

"Taavi, stay here. Spitelout hasn't returned yet and I need to see to Gerda. I'll come back and we'll deal with everything then." He looks around the Hall until he finds his son, "Nobody goes there until I get back, Hiccup."

Hiccup nods to his father and watches the older man walk out, carrying Gerda. Edrea and Avita follow behind him, concerned looks on their faces. The buzz of voices pick back up as soon as the door closes behind Stoick, and most people are looking to Hiccup for answers. He's the Chief's son and the village expects him to fall into the role when Stoick is unable to.

Most of what he's hearing is split between people saying that by hanging himself Snotlout was admitting guilt, and just idle gossip because nothing like this has ever happened on Berk before. People are letting their curiosity get the better of them. He doesn't want the gossip to lead to people deciding to get involved.

"Everybody!" The Hall dulls back down to a dull roar, "I know this is shocking, but the Chief's orders were explicit. We stay here. We'll finish dinner and maybe have a few games of dice. When he gets back he'll let us know how he wants to handle this."

A disgruntled old man stands up and hollers back at him, "Easy enough for you to say, boy! You tried to kill him yourself a month ago. And where is your big friend, hmm?"

Hiccup somehow manages to perfectly balance contempt and weariness in his voice, "Mildew, if I'd really wanted him dead a month ago, he wouldn't have been alive to try raping a girl last week. And Othere is still at the healers. He developed an infection and a fever from his injuries. Astrid is with him, and I'm sure Mother Gothi would be happy to tell you that. Any other wild accusations you'd like to sling around?"

The old man harrumphs loudly, but sits back down. The village at large doesn't pay much attention to him, they're used to him trying to make a bad situation worse by this point.

Hiccup is sure that sorrow would look suspect coming from him as the entire village knows there was no love lost between himself and Snotlout, but he thinks he can pull off serious and contemplative. Luka catches his eye once and barely arches a brow before her entire face is once again impassive. He manages to graciously accept condolences from the villagers and to keep everybody calm until his father finally returns and he gratefully hands the reins back over to the big man.

"How's Aunt Gerda doing, Dad?"

"Sleeping." Stoick's voice is gruff, trying to hide the fact that seeing his sister cry so piteously has upset him. He can't be upset now. "Edrea and Avita gave her some herbs and they're staying with her."

He calls to several of his men, including Vadik and Taavi who have been taking turns as guard. "Come on, son. We have to go take care of this now."

The men are silent as they walk over to the windowless shed. Stoick walks around it slowly, eyes trained on the ground, before coming back to the group of men and holding out his hand for the key. Taavi hands it over and he unlocks the door. Stoick takes another moment to walk slowly around the small shed, just looking for anything out of place before he calls Hiccup in.

"Help me get him down. Can you lift up on him to give me some slack to cut the rope?"

Hiccup nods before getting under Snotlout's body and lifting up. "Hey dad, there are fibers from the sheets under his fingernails."

There is a grunt from Stoick before the body collapses down into Hiccup's arms. He gets the body down to the floor without dropping it and Stoick takes one of the hands in his own. "It's from where he ripped up the sheets and braided them. Get that blanket and help me wrap him up until we can have the men take him to the docks."

Hiccup manages to inject some disbelief and righteous indignation into his voice, "You're not giving him a proper funeral, surely?"

"No. He'll be dropped overboard far from here. We'll weight him down so the tides don't bring him back to Berk." His voice is hard, "Vadik, get some planks and tell one of the men to ready a boat."

A traitor's burial, it's a fitting end for the crimes he committed in life.

**One Week Later**

Hiccup stands next to Stoick watching Trader Johann's boat sailing off. The man brought news along on this voyage; Spitelout's boat was found wrecked on some sea stacks about 20 miles off of Murderous Island. Johann inquired with the people on Murderous, but he'd apparently not made it there.

Stoick sighs heavily, "Son, can you fetch Edrea and Avita? I have to tell Gerda and she may need them."

"I can get Edrea, but Koen and Sven just made it back in this morning and Avita will be locked up with her husband for the rest of the day."

Stoick nods, "Get Edrea then, and meet me there."

An hour later, Hiccup is walking back past the docks. Gerda was inconsolable, and he honestly hopes his aunt doesn't have to deal with any more trauma in her life. Stoick is still with her, and the two siblings are truly talking for the first time in years. He hopes they can work things out, because Gerda will need her brother's support in the years to come.

He can't find it in himself to regret ordering her son's death though. He has little faith in most of the Council; Stoick, Bertha, Dovon, and Mogadon can't make a majority by themselves and Stoick wouldn't have been allowed to vote as Snotlout was his nephew. Hiccup knows his uncle's coin would have been a big factor in the vote, and there were Chiefs who probably would have voted for innocence just out of spite against the other four.

He's just thinking he should call for Toothless and head home when he sees a dragon heading in to Berk. He assumes it's wild and coming to see why so many of its' kin are gathered here. After a few more minutes he can see that it's a blue Changewing and it appears to be carrying a rider. A small smile finally works across his face as he realizes who's dropping in.

He waits for the Changewing to land and her rider to dismount before he walks over, "Greetings, friend. My name is Hiccup Haddock, welcome to Berk."

The other man looks around once before smiling and offering his hand, "Ryce Goodwin, formerly of Hedeby. I'm looking for a peaceful place I can call home."

Hiccup shakes his hand firmly and returns the smile, "I think you found the right place."


	12. Chapter 11

Sorry this one took a while, I've had a lot on my plate recently. My kids just went back to school, and the first week is always crazy. My grandfather was hospitalized and is now in a rehab facility, so that's been eating at me. I had a plot-bunny for another story consume me, so I've been working on that in what time I have been writing…

I'm not sure how many more chapters I have left to do for this one, but it finally feels like it's drawing to a close so hopefully I can finish it soon. Thanks for sticking around to read my little mental ramblings.

…..

Chapter 11

Othere isn't sure where he is at first, and he can't account for why he feels so weak and sore. He scrunches up his face, trying to find the wherewithal to lift his remarkably heavy eyelids when he hears a gasp. The voice sounds feminine and he's trying to think of why a lady would be in a bedchamber with him.

His memory starts pelting him; the attack, killing the mad Chief, Hiccup's soon to be dead cousin and the knife glinting in his hand as he kneels over… Astrid! That last thought jolts him upright in bed, desperate to lay eyes on his betrothed and make sure she's safe.

She's sitting next to his bed, holding his hand. He runs his eyes over her and sees no visible sign of injury, but he needs to be sure.

"Are you…" His throat is raspy and dry. She holds a cup of water to his lips and helps him to drink. Once he's done he feels like he might be able to speak again.

"Are you uninjured? He didn't…" Her face flushes and she looks away from him. His heart sinks because he can't think of any reason she could be embarrassed unless the unthinkable happened and she's afraid he'll reject her now. As if it would be her fault! He resolves to stay calm no matter what happened that night when she fled through the woods, but he _needs_ to know!

He reaches out with shaky fingers and gently tips her face back towards his. "Little one, you can tell me honestly and it won't change anything between us, I swear it. He didn't force you, did he?"

She shakes her head, "No, but I was afraid he would. I have nightmares that he did. I'm scared I won't be a fit wife for you or any man now because when my own father tried to hug me, I screamed and hit him in a panic. Hiccup is the least threatening man I can think of, and his voice is enough to make me huddle in a corner like a frightened child."

He takes her hand, watching carefully for her reaction. "You don't seem to be frightened of me, Little one."

Her lip quivers and he can see the tears welling in her eyes, "Othere, you haven't been awake for more than a few hours in the past two weeks. It's hard to be afraid of a man lying in bed unconscious. What worries me is now that you're awake, how will I handle you towering over me? You're bigger than Stoick and I fainted the last time he tried to speak to me!"

For the first time in his life, he thinks being bedfast might actually be a good thing. "Well, I don't think I'm up to standing quite yet, Little one. Why don't we see how your comfort level is just being here with me awake?"

He tugs lightly on her hand, bringing her closer to his bed. "Come dearest, sit with me. I had nightmares too and I need to know you're safe."

She looks exactly like Slate looked the first time he tried to bond with his dragon. All wide, frightened eyes and skittish response, but she carefully sits on the edge of his bed. He keeps hold of her hand, but otherwise allows her to control this situation. After a moment of watching him, she swings her legs up and scoots back against the headboard, near him but board stiff.

He leans his head back against the pillows, next to her shoulder, but not touching her. His fingers trace meaningless patterns against the back of her hand as they sit there in silence.

She finally speaks to him, her voice barely a whisper. "I was so afraid I would watch you die that night. And then Cami brought you here and you were incoherent and bleeding out and there was nothing I could do." She tries her best to stifle the noise, but he can tell she's crying without looking at her.

His voice is rough with emotions he's trying to contain, "I thought I would be forced to watch them hurt you in the worst possible way while I was pinned to the ground and unable to do anything to stop it. I felt useless, Astrid. All of my strength, and I couldn't stop a man barely half my size from putting his hands on you. I'm going to kill him when I'm out of this bed."

"You can't…"

He frowns at her, forgetting that he's trying to be non-threatening. "I can and I will! He will not get away with putting his disgusting hands on you."

She shakes her head and lays her hand on his clenched forearm. "No, you can't because he's already dead. Hiccup captured him that night and hauled him before the village. He used his relation to Stoick to demand a trial by Council and his father left to go bribe a few of the greedier members. But a week ago, he hanged himself. He left no note, but most people seem to think he was afraid of being turned over to my father and you as payment for my honor. Dad vowed publicly to geld him if he was found guilty by the Council."

Othere relaxes, "So they're both dead. You're safe."

"I feel safe when I'm with you." She timidly lays her head against his bicep and curls into his side still holding his forearm. He laces his fingers through hers and they are content to just sit in silence for the moment. Both coming to terms with the ordeal they went through.

It takes another week before Gothi will allow Othere out of bed for more than a few minutes. He's been careful to do his short bits of walking when Astrid isn't with him, not wanting her to be afraid of him. She's been working to put the situation behind her, but he's seen how men coming up behind her can still frighten her badly.

Hiccup's strange habit of talking constantly during awkward situations is actually paying off in this instance, because she hears him coming well before he's close enough to startle her. When she's not at Gothi's or with her parents she has been sticking to Cami and Hiccup like a frightened kitten following its' mother, much to the other couple's chagrin. But they don't complain because they know how badly the whole ordeal affected her.

It doesn't sit right with him though, this fear of hers. She's fiery and bold; timid and emotional doesn't work for her. He wishes he knew of some way to make her feel safe again.

Yet another week goes by slowly before Gothi pronounces Othere fit to return to his house. The only problem with that is that his house isn't finished. He's already six weeks past his deadline, he should have been three weeks into his honey month, not just getting his feet back under him.

He steps out of the healer's hut only to run directly into the side of his Gronkle. The big dragon goes into a full-body wiggle of happiness when he sees his rider for the first time in nearly a month.

"Hey big fella!" His voice is gentle and his hands are eagerly running over Slate's bumpy hide. "How've you been, huh? Have you been getting your exercise?"

"I've been riding him for you." Astrid walks up, but stops well out of his arm's reach. "I hope that's OK?"

There's a pang in his chest because she's obviously afraid to come close. He's been holding out hope that since she's been fine with him so far that she wouldn't fear him once he was back on his feet.

"Dearest, you can ride Slate whenever you want."

She smiles at him hesitantly and takes a step closer. "Did you know Dad and Hiccup finished your house while you were laid up?"

Othere mock groans, "Wonderful. I trust your dad but I'll have to redo everything Hiccup put his hands on!"

But that's a worry off his chest. He's well enough to be out of bed, but he doubts he could swing a hammer or push a saw with any conviction right now. Rib injuries are hard for a man in his profession to come back from, and Dagur shoved the spear through his right shoulder.

Astrid's face is uncertain again, "I know you offered for me because you didn't want… him… to be able to hurt me. But he's dead and so is his father. And I don't want you to be forced to marry me when you don't have to."

His face falls. He was certain that even if she was uneasy due to the trauma that she had grown to care for him at least a little. He didn't want a wife when he came to Berk, and he did step in to protect her. But over the time he's spent with her, she's become important to him.

"Do you not want me, Astrid?" He can't help that a little bit of his hurt feelings are seeping through into his voice. "I won't force you or hold you to an agreement your father made in the heat of the moment. But I still want you, so this must be your choice."

He swings onto Slate and has the Gronkle winging for his new house within seconds. He's annoyed that Hiccup never brought him his helmet, because riding Slate through the chilly air is making his eyes water. That or Berk has a lot of fall pollen. Has to be pollen, he decides. His eyes have never watered up like this due to cold weather before.

Slate lands and he slides from the saddle, but his wound must have been more aggravated by flying than he thought it would be because his knees aren't holding him up. Between his recently discovered allergies and his weakness and this pain in his chest he's just falling apart. He's supposed to be the strong and calm one, but for once he's the one who wants to curl up in bed… that or destroy something.

Hiccup and Ingmar are putting the finishing touches on Slate's stable when the big Gronkle wanders in. He goes to Hiccup and nudges him towards the door, make sad noises in his throat. Hiccup is a little concerned because Slate is one of the calmest, happiest dragons he's ever met. He wonders if something happened to Othere and that's what has the big dragon out of sorts.

Ingmar is thinking along the same lines and the men share a grim look before stepping out of the stable, only to see the dark haired giant sitting against the front wall of the house. His knees are pulled up and his wrists rest against them with his hands dangling limply. His head is resting back against the wall and Hiccup thinks he must be mistaken because it looks like his normally impassive friend has a tear on his face. He motions for Ingmar to stay put before walking across the yard and sitting down in front of the larger man.

"Something wrong?"

The blue eyes that meet his own for a moment are reddened and wet, "She doesn't want me. Your cousin isn't a threat anymore and she's terrified of me and she doesn't want me."

He reaches out and puts a hand on the big man's knee supportively, "I don't think it's that she doesn't want you. She could barely keep her eyes off of you that night before the attack, and she never left your bedside the entire time you were fighting the fever. What exactly did she say to you?"

Othere repeats the conversation he had with Astrid and then looks at Hiccup sadly. Hiccup is younger than Othere by four years, but he has to keep reminding himself that when it comes to females he is the one with the knowledge and experience, such as it is. The large man has never been in a relationship before. He was only a child when he was sold into slavery and he was never around women from then until Hiccup freed him from Dagur's ship.

He's trying to think of how to phrase this so that Othere won't immediately discount him. "It's not that she doesn't want you. I'm pretty sure she thinks that you only offered to marry her because of Snotlout."

"But that's why I offered…" Hiccup wants to smack his friend for being an oblivious fool. He's trying to decide which is the more emotionally stunted between his father and Othere.

"If that's the only reason for the marriage, then why are you upset that she doesn't want you?"

When Othere doesn't answer, Hiccup decides to give his own theory, "I think you're upset because you developed feelings for her. If you didn't love her, you wouldn't be this upset."

The large man's voice is incredibly small for once, "How would I know that?"

"How would you know if you love her?" Othere nods hesitantly at him, and he thinks back to the very beginning with Cami.

"Well, I knew for sure that I loved Cami when seeing her cry because of me was more painful than the thought of being exiled from Berk for breaking my betrothal. I tried to send her away that night but I couldn't. She was crying and she told me that she'd leave if I told her I didn't love her." His eyes are slightly unfocused as he concentrates on his memories, but Othere's attention is riveted on him. "I knew, of course, that I should have told her I didn't love her, but the thought of saying it made my chest hurt so bad…"

"Like your heart and lungs would explode…"

He smiles at his friend, "Yes. Exactly like that. And that feeling didn't go away until I admitted that I loved her. And before you can protest or overthink things, you do love her."

Othere's voice is surly now, "But she doesn't love me."

"I think she does, my friend. She's just scared and she has no idea how you feel about her now that you're not saving her. But you have a luxury that you didn't have before."

The other man is obviously stumped, "What's that?"

Hiccup pushes up from the ground and dusts himself off, "You have time now. She's safe from him and you're already betrothed so you don't have to worry about other suitors bothering her. Take your time and get to know her better. Get married in the spring instead of immediately. Give her time to feel safe around men again."

Othere is sitting up straight and Hiccup can tell he's thinking, "You think if I actually court her, it'll work?"

Hiccup reaches a hand down and helps the larger man stand, "Hel if I know, my friend. I tried to court her and she had the village boys beat me up." He shrugs and grins at his large friend, "I like your chances better than mine though, because there's nobody in Berk that could beat you and you apparently have divine shoulders."


	13. Chapter 12

**Good morning lovely people! I've been having some writers' block and dealing with some plot bunnies that took me over. It is what it is, but you guys are getting too close to where I'm at with the writing which is why updates have had to slow down. I did finally have a small breakthrough yesterday and I have Chapter 14 almost done.**

 **One thing I wanted to chat about is that I have one persistent person who wants me to write this very angry. That's not where this is going, it's never been where this story is going. I gave up on PMs because it was a cyclic argument and ain't nobody got time for that. I shall leave you with a quote from a wise man, that I hope perhaps can lay this issue to rest:**

" _ **Kids, you may think your only options are to swallow your anger or to throw it in someone's face. There's a third option: You can just let it go, and only when you do that is it really gone and you can move forward."**_ **~ Ted Mosby**

…

Chapter 12

Astrid isn't sure exactly what just happened. She was trying to be selfless and let Othere out of their betrothal, she knew he only offered for her to keep her safe. But then he confounded her by saying he did want her.

Now she's sitting against the side of Gothi's hut, trying to make sense of this. She expected him to jump at the chance to be free of her, not look at her like she was destroying his dreams before flinging himself into Slate's saddle and leaving.

She was selfish once before, and she hurt Hiccup by refusing to give him a chance. She's trying to make sure she doesn't do the same thing with Othere. Just because she dreams of him at night; the way he looked building the house, the way he calls her by pet names, the way he hugged her close as they walked through the woods before everything fell apart that night… Well, that doesn't mean he dreams of her.

She never had any indication from him that he wanted her! She would have held on with both hands and never let go if she thought for one minute he was actually happy to be marrying her!

She's so lost in her own thoughts, she doesn't notice when Toothless lands and Hiccup jumps off of him.

"You know, by all rights I should be absolutely furious with you right now."

She looks up, startled by the anger in his voice but not panicked because a man is standing over her. Hiccup doesn't frighten her anymore. "Why?"

He sits next to her, careful to keep an appropriate amount of space between them. "Because my best friend hasn't cried about anything since he finally realized his stepmother wasn't going to take him back from the slavers. He was ten."

The Night Fury gives his rider an annoyed look and warbles at him.

"Fine, my _human_ best friend." He looks over at the dragon and asks sarcastically, "Are you OK with that?"

Toothless huffs an agreement to Hiccup and ambles away to lay in a sunbeam; his green eyes remain intent on them and he's twitching his tail back and forth looking like the world's largest barn cat.

She can't contain the look of horror creeping across her face as his words sink in. "He's crying?"

"No, he's just leaking from the eyes." He can't believe she even asked, "Of course he's crying, Astrid! Look, he's a big strong guy but he never had any experience with females or emotions, so despite that tough exterior his heart is tender like a boy with his first crush."

Her eyes close and her heads bows, "I'm apparently very good at destroying that feeling."

He sighs roughly, "Oh for the love of Thor, Astrid. Get over it. We talked, I forgave you. I'm not holding grudges for things you did when you were a kid. I'm very happy with my wife, and until an hour ago I thought you were happy with Othere."

"I am! I just… he only, and I…" He cuts her off because he's not even getting full sentences out of her at this point.

"That made absolutely no sense. So, stop babbling and listen up. You think Othere only wanted to marry you because of my fucking idiot cousin. Yes?"

She nods.

"Yeah, I thought so. That's what I told him. Well, that was his original motivation, but he never counted on falling in love with you."

Tears start coursing down her cheeks, "He never said…"

His voice is gentler, "Of course he didn't say it. Astrid, he had no clue what love felt like. He's just coming to terms with it himself."

She's sobbing openly now, and he knocks his fist gently against her shoulder, "Nope, you're Astrid Hofferson and you don't cry. Stop it."

"He must hate me! He probably thinks it's just like when I hurt you."

Hiccup is seriously reconsidering his list of emotionally stunted people again, because she definitely deserves a place on it.

"He doesn't hate you, he loves you. Hence why he's sitting in front of his house crying while you're here at Gothi's crying. If it makes it any better, I gave him some advice for dealing with you."

She sobs louder, "I have a very bad feeling about that!"

Yep, she's worse than his dad. "Astrid! Calm down and listen to me."

She tries to reign in her tears and he waits until she's collected herself somewhat to begin speaking again.

"I told him, you guys have time now. There's no rush, no deadline. Get to know each other better over the winter. Let him court you."

There's a small smile playing over her lips and she looks at him hopefully, "Do you think that'll work?"

He laughs, "Didn't work for me, but as long as you don't throw his gifts off of a cliff you should be fine this time."

Before she can protest his teasing, he's pushing up from the ground and calling to Toothless. After settling into the Night Fury's saddle he gives her one final piece of advice.

"Don't expect him to make the first move, Astrid. You really hurt him. If you still want him, you're going to have to let him know that. Now, I'm gonna leave you two kids to sort this mess out from here. Cami's waiting for me."

Toothless is in the air before she can blink. She stays sitting, trying to think of what she can do to make amends to Othere.

She's still trying to wrap her mind around everything when Cami shows up looking for her, "Are you still sitting here? Did my husband break your brain or something?"

She looks up, confused. "Cami? What are you doing here, I thought Hiccup went to find you?"

"That was this morning, Astrid. You never showed up for lunch, and now it's dinner time." The taller blonde laughs at her, "I told your parents I'd come get you. You do need to eat, you know?"

Astrid looks at the position of the sun and jumps to her feet, "Oh Thor! I had no idea I'd been sitting here this long!"

Cami matches her stride to the shorter girls' easily, "So. I don't really need to give you the speech, do I?" At Astrid's confused look, she elaborates. "The speech where I tell you that Othere is like another brother to me, actually I'm closer to him than I am to my brother. Basically, if you hurt him again I will kill you. I don't really need to give it, right?"

Astrid flushes and shakes her head, "I didn't know…"

Cami stops her with a hand on her shoulder. "I know you didn't know. But my husband has spent the day trying to mop this up, because a few of the village gossips ended up overhearing your conversation this morning, spread it around, and then went running to Stoick saying that you were breaking your betrothal. Again. Apparently quite a few girls were happy to hear it."

"Oh Thor…"

"Exactly. But your father heard what Othere told Hiccup and they talked to Stoick about it. So between the three of them they're saying it's a misunderstanding and you two are fine."

The two finally reach the Great Hall and step inside. Cami pats her on the shoulder and heads for the Chief's table where both girls see Hiccup is already seated beside Koen.

Astrid's eyes immediately search for Othere. When she finds him they narrow dangerously. One of the serving girls is standing beside his seat, her hand resting on his shoulder as she bends over to speak in his ear. It could possibly be something innocent, it's loud in the Hall after all, but then the girl leans so that she's resting her sizeable chest against his shoulder while she talks to him and Astrid sees red.

She walks over and grabs the girl by her hair, dragging her away from Othere. He jumps to his feet with a shocked expression on his face, "Astrid! It wasn't…"

She swings the girl around to face her, hands still fisted in dark hair. "Listen carefully, you brazen little slag. I don't care what the village gossips were saying today, he's mine and you stay away from him or you bleed! Pass that message along to any of your friends that have designs on him."

"Astrid…"

As big as he is, her face is level with his chest and that frustrates her. She jumps up on the nearest bench so that they're face to face. His expression is a mix of annoyance and caution, but underneath that she sees some hope in his eyes.

Her voice is quiet, she's had enough of everybody nosing into her life today but he hears her.

"I'm sorry. I do want you, I just didn't want you to feel trapped if you didn't want me."

She can't help noticing how a smile changes him. He's handsome in a severe way normally, but when he smiles there is a carefree air to his face that softens him up.

She doesn't really stop to think about what she's doing, she just leans into him and gives him a kiss. It's short and innocent, but perfect for two people who are just starting to figure out how a relationship works.

Stoick's voice cuts in, "Ingmar, for the love of Odin will you hurry up and marry that girl off? Every time I turn around there's more drama!"

Most of the villagers try to stifle their laughter, but a few chortles echo around the room, turning Astrid's face red. Like she wants the entire village in her business?

Othere helps her down from the bench she's standing on and offers her his hand, "Come for a flight with me?"

She takes his hand and lets him lead her out of the Hall. They walk quietly to the edge of the village, but she begins to pull back when he heads for the trail through the woods. She hasn't walked through the woods since that night. If she wants to visit Cami, she goes the long way around and through the air.

"I don't want to go in there. I can get Stormfly…"

His voice is soft, "Dearest, Stormfly can't carry us both comfortably and Slate is at my house. There is nothing for you to fear, they're dead. I killed the mad Chief and considering that the nameless one turned up here in Berk while I was stuck in bed it looks like Hiccup dealt with his cousin."

"No, he hanged himself…"

He shakes his head, "No. When I got to the Hall this evening I noticed there's a new fisherman, the slender one with brown hair? You met him, yes?" At her nod he continues, "Dearest, he was an assassin in Hedeby, and Hiccup saved his life once. The fact that he's here after what happened… I guess we'll never know for sure why, but he's left his guild and lives here now. I would wager that there was more to Snotlout's death than meets the eye."

Her eyes are wide with surprise, but he doesn't see the fear he's come to hate in them. "Obviously, this is not information for anyone else to know. Not even your parents."

"But Stoick went to investigate, he said Snotlout killed himself. He ordered him a traitor's burial because everyone felt that killing himself was an admission of guilt!"

He chuckles, but there is nothing remotely humorous about the sound, "He was a traitor and he was guilty. Hiccup wouldn't take the chance of him being found innocent by the Council, not after seeing the state we were in that night."

She hasn't noticed yet that as he's explaining the situation to her that he's been leading her through the woods. He's hoping that once they arrive at his house and she realizes that they walked through safely that her fear will begin to fade.

Her eyes catch on something off of the path and he curses as he realizes they're in the clearing where the attack happened. Astrid kneels down in front of the tree she was tied too, and leans forward to pick a small piece of fabric off of the gnarled bark. He stands beside her, not sure exactly what her reaction will be to confronting everything head on like this.

"I wish I had killed him."

Her voice is low and he's not sure he heard her correctly at first. He kneels beside her when her slim body starts trembling, but when she lifts her face to look at him the tears he sees in her eyes are from rage instead of fear.

"I wish I could have taken that knife from him and cut him open myself!"

He lifts her into his lap and tucks her head under his chin. "No. You really don't wish that. I'm not proud of the fact I've killed men, even bad men that deserved to die. It's a heavy burden to bear, Astrid… the taking of another's life."

She looks at him disbelievingly, "You're sad that you killed the Deranged one?"

He shakes his head slowly, searching for the words he needs. "No, not sad. I don't feel guilty either, because he would have killed me without hesitation. But I'm regretful that it came to the point that I had to. Even though it was by his own design, I wish it hadn't been necessary. Every time I have to take a life, the regret grows a little heavier."

She nods thoughtfully, "I can understand that." She tosses the small scrap of linen on the ground but makes no move to get out of his lap.

"It's so peaceful here now. I thought coming back would be frightening, or dark, or just… different somehow."

He hums quietly in his throat, "But you're not frightened?"

"No. I think I actually feel better seeing that these are still just normal woods, not some dark and dangerous place."

He's prepared to sit quietly in the clearing all evening if it helps her to feel normal again, but after several moments she begins fidgeting with his fingers. She has her face turned slightly away from him, but he sees the hint of pink along her cheekbone. He catches her nervous fingers in his palm and holds them still until she looks up at him.

"Is something wrong? Are you uncomfortable sitting on me? I can let you up…"

She shakes her head vehemently, still refusing to meet his eyes. "Astrid. Look at me please, and tell me what's wrong."

She peeks up at him, "I meant what I said back in the Hall. I thought this morning that I was doing the right thing by offering you freedom. I didn't know it would hurt your feelings, I'm so sorry."

"Truthfully?" He looks skyward for a moment and sighs before continuing, "I didn't know it would hurt so badly until that moment. I knew you were important to me, but I didn't realize how much until I thought you didn't want me."

She tucks her head back under his chin and scoffs quietly, "Some marriage we would have had, we didn't even know that we needed to talk to each other about relationship stuff."

He nods, "We know better now. I won't assume you know what I feel and you can't assume you know what I want."

Astrid means to reply to him, but her stomach chooses that moment to loudly remind her she's spent the entire day thinking instead of eating. Her face flushes red and she looks away from him.

"Either you're very hungry or there's a wild dragon around here somewhere."

She can't help the scowl that crosses her face, "I was upset and thinking about how to fix things with you!"

He stands, not bothering to put her down and begins walking towards his house.

"I have stew I can heat up. I'll feed you before we take that ride."


	14. Chapter 13

**You guys, I am freaking sad! My 13 year old cat ran away and we can't find him anywhere. He was my housewarming gift to my husband (well fiancé at the time) when we started living together, because he had to leave his cats at home when he came here for college and he's been our spoiled baby ever since. He's hasn't been doing all that well lately and I'm terrified he ran away so he could die in peace. I'm sorry I didn't update on Friday like normal, but that was the day he ran off and I just wasn't really with it. I don't know if I'm going to get any writing done in the next several days either, this is tearing me up.**

 **Between that and my grandfather's health issues updates may be spotty for the next several weeks. I'm really sorry. I will NOT abandon this this story, I already have the ending in my head I just need real life to calm down for a while so I can actually write it all out.**

… **..**

Chapter 13

Othere throws his shovel down with a curse before standing straight to relieve the pressure on his ribs. He flexes his shoulder, trying to work the lingering stiffness out of it. He's far behind Hiccup and Sven when he normally would have been ahead of them. It sits ill with him that four months after his injuries he's yet to regain his full strength while an amputee and a man nearly twice his age are able to out-work him with relative ease.

Koen stops beside him, fully commiserating with the younger man. "My shoulder has never been right since my injury, Othere. I'm fortunate that I'm left handed and it never impaired my ability to fight, but I definitely feel it during cold weather or when I've been working."

Hiccup and Sven come around a curve in the path, clearly looking for the older men. At eighteen Sven is the youngest of them and hasn't always learned when to curb his cockiness. His blond hair is glinting brightly in the sunshine being amplified off of the snow surrounding them as he mocks them, "Are you guys getting tired already? We're only half a mile from Berk Village and I'm sure they have a warm spot near the hearth in the Great Hall for the elders on cold days."

"Knock it off Sven." Hiccup's voice is mild, but his disapproval is clear in his tone. "Othere is coming off of serious injuries and Koen's had a bad shoulder since our first run in with Dagur."

The younger man is instantly repentant, "I know, I was just teasing a little. I'm sorry."

"Othere, maybe you should just trek ahead into the village and see if some of their men can meet us half way on this last half mile?" Hiccup is quick to make this sound more difficult to save the larger man's pride. "You have half a foot on all of us, so you might not have as much difficulty wading through this hip deep snow as we've had."

The men set out before dawn, hoping to shovel the snow off of their path between their clearing and Berk Village. They've been cut off from the others for the last three weeks due to blizzards and while they're doing alright between their stores and what they can hunt during breaks in the storm, they need to restock some of the basics like flour and fish for the dragons before more storms bury them again.

Hiccup's voice is wry, "I'm regretting the impulse that had me asking to be farther from the village. I knew it would be some work to get there, but we've only gone a mile and half in the past five hours. It has to be coming up on midday now."

Othere is still grumpy because he's not able to work like he normally would, "We'd have been there by now if I wasn't weak as a newborn babe."

"You're doing much better than you were a month ago, truly." Sven reaches up to slap the older man on the shoulder playfully, "And the snow was only knee deep then!"

Othere glares at the younger man and reluctantly picks his shovel back up. He is definitely not looking forward to stooping over it and cramping his recently healed ribs again.

"Boys, it's cold as Hoor's balls in this forest." Koen has years of practice breaking up squabbles between the younger men, "I can't speak for my nephew but I'd like to get home to my wife with the items she's requested before it gets dark. Can we get back to work now?"

Hiccup takes a different track to get his friend to go ahead of them, "Well if Othere heads into the village and leaves us behind to shovel he might get to see his lady before dark, too."

The dark giant scowls at him as he passes, "I'm going up front with Sven since you can't make it through the high snow, Footless."

"Oh nice, start with the leg jokes!" Hiccup calls at his friends' disappearing back, "See if I show any concern for your stubborn arse when you can't make it back home tonight!"

Koen just slaps his disgruntled nephew on the back and resumes clearing the path. Othere and Sven are doing the bulk of the heavy lifting now that Othere's wounded pride forced him to take Hiccup's place digging through the high drifts, while Koen and Hiccup follow behind clearing more of the path and packing the sides as much as they can to prevent the snowbanks on either side from collapsing and covering the trail.

They've only worked another hour when Hiccup hears his father's voice ahead of him in the distance. He calls over to Koen, "Looks like they were coming to make sure we're still alive."

Koen nods and the two men continue trying to shore up the sides of their path as best they can. No point in getting lazy now that they're almost done. Having a section collapse will just make getting home more difficult.

Another ten minutes catches the pair up to Sven and Othere. Othere is on the ground, obviously in pain and clutching at his side. Sven looks up as they approach, "He slipped on some ice. He needs the healer to look at those ribs again."

Hiccup bites back the cutting remark he wants to make about stubborn jackasses getting what they deserve. He understands perfectly how it rankles the large man's pride to be seen as weak or incapable. "Come on, let me help you up." Hiccup plants his feet carefully, trying to avoid the ice with his prosthetic foot and reaches a hand to Othere. He gets the large man sitting upright with his back against the snowbank before he loses his footing and goes down as well.

Of course he's pissed off Loki somewhere along the line, because this is the exact moment that Stoick finally pushes through the last of the tall snow drifts and finds them all laughing like a pack of idiots over Hiccup lying in the snow.

"What in Odin's name are you doing trying to get through this much snow on that foot? Do you ever stop to think?"

The humor flees quickly, Koen shakes his head and waits for the fireworks. Even after the fight their first night back and all of the conversations that have followed, Stoick's first reaction in a situation he doesn't like is to treat Hiccup like a child.

Sven tries to mitigate the irate Chief somewhat, hoping to prevent Hiccup from blowing up. "He was helping Othere up, sir. There's a patch of ice and we need to get Othere to your healer, he went down hard on those ribs."

Stoick seems to realize his mistake and reaches a hand towards his son to help him up, but Hiccup refuses the help and gets to his feet himself. His face is hard and watchful again and Stoick cringes a bit.

"I'm sorry, son. I wasn't trying to say you can't make it through this on your own. I just… "

Hiccup's voice is dry, "Said I can't make it through this snow on my own. I don't know how I managed that first mile and half without you telling me I couldn't do it." His voice is bitter with old resentments, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you still think I'm incapable. You must think Cami has to dress and feed me, although you'll be proud to know I have finally mastered the big-boy skill of making it to the privy all by myself."

Stoick wisely keeps his mouth shut, and Hiccup turns away to start brushing the snow off of his clothing as best he can.

Ingmar walks into the middle of a tense silence and two obviously upset Haddock men. His first instinct is to turn around and walk away. He's heard about bits and pieces of argument between Stoick and Hiccup and he has no desire to get caught up in that madness, thank you very much. He likes his own beard exactly as it is, and Stoick's has yet to grow out properly from the extra close shave Hiccup almost gave him.

Koen seizes his opportunity to defuse his nephew before words are said that can't be taken back. "Ingmar! Good timing, my friend. Your son-to-be decided he had to prove his manliness by reinjuring his ribs and then pulling Hiccup down while he was moving all of that mass. Give us a hand with him, will you?"

Ingmar squats down and shakes off his leather gauntlets before pushing Othere's thick coat of wolf pelts out of the way. He starts running his hands over Othere's ribs carefully, pressing at a few places where the large man seems to tighten up.

"They're not broken, and you'd better thank Odin. I would have set Astrid on you if they were, and as I'm sure you remember her nursing skills are appalling. I think you just strained some of the muscles." He turns to his Chief, "Give me a hand getting him up, Stoick. If Hiccup can move Othere around on his own he must have the strength of a bull yak because he has to weigh close to twenty stone!"

Ingmar is focused on the young man he's come to regard as a son, so he misses the glare his Chief shoots at his back and the archly raised eyebrow on Hiccup's suddenly smug face.

Stoick steps around Ingmar and slides on that damn ice patch. His son's dry voice cuts in caustically, "Careful there, old man. Don't need you falling in all of this snow and ice."

He ignores the jibe. He knows he deserves it, and reacting will just get Hiccup more irritated. He reaches down and takes Othere by the hands while Ingmar gets behind him to support his back while they help him get to his feet. Once he's up, Stoick slings his arm around the taller man's waist to support him.

"Are we taking him to Gothi or your place, Ingmar?"

Ingmar gets on the other side and drapes one of Othere's arms around his shoulders, "Gods in Valhalla, Stoick… he's going to my house! If I send him to the healer I'll be trapped through the next storm with two irate Hofferson women. You'd have to make plans for my funeral when the next calm spell came through! If he's there, they'll be mad at him for getting hurt instead of mad at me for not bringing him."

Sven can't resist poking at Othere a bit while the older man can't really retaliate, "Your woman is gonna kick your arse, and her dad is gonna let her do it, Othere."

Hiccup is quick to step in, "I'd shut up were I you, Sven. He's going to heal eventually and then he'll kick your arse."

Sven shoots a chagrinned look at Hiccup, "You always take his side, Hiccup!"

Hiccup snaps back at the blond, "Because you always deserve what you get!"

Koen steps between the two younger men, "Boys, let's get Othere seen to. Then you two can come back out here and beat each other senseless if you want."

The three fall into step behind Stoick and Ingmar. Sven makes a face at Hiccup behind Koen's back causing him to roll his eyes so hard it actually hurts his head.

Sven's an excellent rider, an attentive (if highly annoying) brother, and a solid friend to have at your back in a fight. He's also cocky and sometimes his immaturity shines past all of his good qualities. He and Hiccup are pretty much polar opposites, which causes friction between them often.

But Hiccup also realizes that a great deal of his irritation is coming from the incident with his father, and it's not fair of him to take that out on Sven. He motions to the younger man to wait a second and taps Koen on the shoulder, "We'll be by to see Othere at the Hofferson's in a bit. I need to talk to him."

Koen nods and walks on, leaving the two facing each other.

"I don't always take Othere's side, you know. He wanted to leave you on Murderous Island because you were a fifteen year old village troublemaker and you had the girls to consider."

Sven looks off to the side, "Look, I get it. He's like your brother or something, but I could be your brother too. You just never let me that close."

Hiccup is taken aback by this. He never thought that Sven felt excluded. "You are my brother. My younger and highly annoying brother that I don't have a lot in common with, but still family."

He's encouraged by the slight smile he sees twisting Sven's mouth, "Actually, I asked you to stay back because I wanted to apologize. I'm taking my frustration with my father out on you, and that isn't right. I'm sorry."

"Hel's breath, I'd be pissed with your father too!" The younger man is nothing if not changeable in his moods. "You have a metal foot and there's ice everywhere, what does he expect? You're going to fall, he can't protect you from that!"

It's the word choice that catches Hiccup's attention. "Protect me?"

Sven nods, "That look on his face when he saw you on the ground and covered in snow? Like he failed you somehow, and then his mouth ran off with him. I know you said he always set unrealistic expectations for you, but it made me wonder if he does the same for himself."

Hiccup snorts loudly, "Sven that man has never failed at anything in his entire life…"

"Except being a father, and it seemed like he wanted to correct that from what Cami said. Maybe he's just over-doing it now to make up for when you were younger."

And this is why he's always liked Sven despite their clashing personalities; the younger man has a way of seeing through the external trappings to the heart of an issue.

"You're probably right, but he can't keep over-reacting like that every time I do something he doesn't like."

Sven looks at him for a moment then looks away. He's immediately curious, Sven usually doesn't hold back on his opinions. "What?"

"Stoick wasn't the only one that over-reacted back there, Hiccup. Yes, he was out of line, but you automatically think worst-case scenario when it comes to him. He was worried about you and said something stupid. You thought he was attacking you and bit his head off."

Hiccup starts to defend himself, but stops. He wants to discount the fact that maybe he reads more into Stoick's words than he should, but he truly can't be objective on this. He just nods to Sven and decides to talk to Koen and Cami later on.

"I've tried so hard and I really thought I put all of that behind me." His voice is distant. He's trying to think back over every interaction he's had with his father in the past five months to see if what Sven said makes any sense.

"You have tried, we can all see that." There is a 'but' in that statement, Sven is being uncharacteristically reluctant to speak the truth.

"But?"

"But we can all tell you haven't truly forgiven Berk. Or your father. I don't know what was said between you and Astrid the day after Othere offered for her, but she's the only one of them you'll actually speak to. I'm pretty sure if it wasn't for Othere, and the fact that Kairi and Cami started to be friends with her, you wouldn't speak with her either."

He feels like he's just been knocked for a loop, "I speak to people…"

Sven shakes his head. "Other than Ingmar and Edrea, you really don't. You'll exchange pleasantries if someone approaches you, but you find a reason to slip away pretty quickly. That big guy… Fishkeg? He's tried to talk to you more times than I can count and you always just kind brush him off."

He's never really thought about it, but he realizes Sven is right. He doesn't want to talk to Fishlegs or the twins. He has nothing to say to the other boys that made his last year in Berk so miserable. There was never any love lost between him and Snotlout. And if he cares to be totally honest with himself, if his best friend wasn't marrying Astrid he probably wouldn't make the effort with her either.

He would have accepted her apology either way, because they were kids and he's not usually one to hold grudges. But he never really thought in terms of friendship until he realized she'd be joining the family he's created in his time away.

These revelations bother him because he worked so hard to just let go of the anger. He doesn't want to become some bitter old man thinking everybody is out to do him wrong or hurt others like Mildew. He knows it'll have to wait until spring finally thaws every one out, but he resolves to himself that he'll try harder with the Berkians. Maybe he'll take Fishlegs up on the offer to buy him an ale one evening. Fish never really did him any harm; he was just too timid to speak up against the others.

But these are things to think about later, when he's not standing in three feet of snow with a worried wife at home and an injured friend in the village both waiting on him.

"We should get going. I don't know what all Kairi and Luka needed but Cami sent me with a list a mile long, and we still have to stop off and see Othere too."


	15. Chapter 14

**Morbilli is what we now commonly call Measels. Most people who contract it nowadays will live, but back before modern medicine and vaccinations… it killed a lot of people and there was nothing they could do other than hope to recover from it.**

 **Eir is the Norse goddess of healing. I had no idea if feverweed was real or not when I started writing this chapter, I'm trained in medical sciences and pharmacology… not herbs. Apparently it IS a real plant, but it doesn't work quite the way I'm using it. I did find one of those "this herb is good for" websites and apparently onion really is supposed to be good for chest congestion and catnip is supposed to help break fevers. So I made up my version of feverweed and went with the website for the rest of it.**

 **I miss all of the reviews I used to get. The last few chapters barely had any, and it really does encourage me to keep writing when I know you guys are enjoying the story. Also, thank you to everybody who sent their condolences about my kitty cat. He's still missing, but I try to maintain a little hope that he might yet come back.**

…

Chapter 14

Hiccup spent the next few weeks thinking over the conversation he had with Sven that day in the woods, but it was hard to actually find time to speak to anybody other than Cami. As expected, the storms came and piled more snow on them before giving them a few days' reprieve and then the whole cycle would start over.

With Othere out of commission and staying at the Hoffersons' until Ingmar declared his ribs fully healed and the snow continuing to pile up, it was harder for Hiccup, Koen, and Sven to make it into Berk Village during calm spells. Sven and Lady moved into Othere's house to take care of Slate and to make any needed repairs to damage caused by the storms before they could destroy the place while Othere was gone.

The following week, Koen and Avita ended up taking in Luka when she became horribly ill with a disease Avita was familiar with from living in Rome called Morbilli. Avita said she'd had the illness as a child and hadn't ever caught it again, but since it wasn't as common in the Northlands the rest of them would be at increased risk. They sent Ocean to stay with Lady and Slate. Koen wasn't allowed in his own bedchamber to keep from getting ill, but he couldn't leave the house because of possible exposure. Nobody was allowed to visit for fear of catching it and spreading it around. Kairi didn't want to live alone during such horrible storms, and it wasn't proper for her to be alone with Sven so she was staying with Hiccup and Cami.

Hiccup spent every second it wasn't snowing fishing with Toothless, and even when it was snowing he went hunting in the forest to provide fresh meat for the people and dragons he was responsible for. Having a huge dragon like Smoke in his stable cleared out all of the reserves he'd stored up for Toothless and Mango pretty quickly. Having Koen under lockdown in a sick house and Othere laid up meant he had to keep everybody fed, not just his own household. Sven joined him because the younger man was feeling powerless to do anything else for his sister.

To top it all off, Cami hadn't been feeling well for the past week. There was a terror in him that he refused to acknowledge or give voice to that she was coming down with the same illness that was ravaging Luka. He was beyond stressed out, and he was without his usual sounding boards to bounce ideas off of or just vent his frustrations to.

Every one else in their clearing could see how he was running himself into the ground, but nobody was really in a position to stop him at the moment. He was their leader, and they needed him to provide during hard times. But they worried constantly. Every time he dropped off fish or meat to Koen, the man begged him to take one day off and relax before he made himself sick. Cami and Kairi constantly implored him to stay in for a day, but all it took was Cami losing her meager breakfast to send him right back out into a blizzard hoping to find something her stomach would tolerate.

Sven was trying to keep him grounded. He'd never appreciated the younger man as much as he did now. But even Sven's light heartedness wasn't enough to counteract everything that was weighing him down. He knew Othere was perfectly safe, but he fretted over his large friend anyways. Luka was not in good shape, which worried him desperately. The young woman was quiet and serious, but she was loyal and loved her adopted family fiercely. To top it all off, he was in a constant state of panic for his wife. That more than anything was tearing him apart. He could handle whatever else the gods threw at him so long as Cami was at his side.

….

Cami knows everything will inevitably come crashing down before this cursed winter ends, Hiccup's the most resilient man she knows but he's not a god. She shoots Kairi a worried look that the redhead returns when they see him coming down the stairs wrapped in his furs again.

"Darling, it's snowing really hard today. You should stay home. You made sure everybody had enough for a few days, and hopefully tomorrow will be better weather."

He's lost weight, looking more like the scrawny boy he was than the capable man he is, and his cheeks are fever-bright but as always his only concern is other people. "You can't stomach that boar, I have to find something you can keep down."

She tries to laugh him off, "That boar was fine, I just got so used to your cooking I can't tolerate my own anymore."

He places a soft kiss on her forehead, "You couldn't keep down toast this morning. Maybe I can find some grouse or some of Berk Villages' chickens running loose so we can make you some broth."

Cami knows she's fighting a losing battle, but she's frantic to keep him home today. "I'd rather spend the day in bed with you than having broth." She doesn't even care that Kairi's just across the kitchen from them as she tugs him down for a desperate kiss and runs her hand along his body toward his groin. For the first time since they admitted their feelings for each other, he stops her.

"I'm going. I can't have you getting ill and you're barely keeping anything in your stomach as it is."

She doesn't bother hiding the tears his rough tone of voice bring to her eyes, "Don't go alone, at least! Hiccup, it's dangerous out there!"

She notices how he sways with weariness when he straightens back up, "Sven twisted his ankle on ice, and he can't make it through the forest right now. Othere is in the village. Koen can't leave the house until Avita knows he won't spread the illness to others. You can barely walk from the bedroom down to the hearth. Luka is definitely not in any shape to help. Kairi and Avita aren't cut out for trekking through storms like this." He stops to look over his shoulder at his houseguest, "No offense, Kairi."

The quiet redhead finally turns to face him, "I know you can't take Toothless out in this, but take Smoke at least, Hiccup. If something happens he can get you home."

He nods, "If it will make you both feel better."

Cami is sobbing openly now, which scares him. She never cries, "Please don't go today! You look like you're going to pass out, and if something happens to you out there you might die before anybody can get to you!"

He kneels down next to her and cups her face to force her to look at him, "I have to. Maybe having Smoke with me will help, because he might be able to get me into the village. If I can get to the village, I can stock up enough to feed us all for at least a few weeks. Whether I can get into the village or not, I have to find a way to get to Gothi's for more feverweed for Luka."

Cami whines in her throat, but he won't relent, "Cami! I have to try. If Avita can't get that fever down soon Luka will die. She's not strong enough to wait for better weather anymore. Koen was really worried last night."

She wipes her eyes and nods, she can't ask him to stay home if it might mean Luka's life and she knows it. "Just… just be careful."

He smiles, but there's little humor in it. "I will, I promise."

After one final kiss he leaves, making sure to secure the door tightly behind him. Cami stumbles over to the window and watches him through a slat in the shutters as he makes his way over to their stable and comes back out a few moments later with Smoke.

She turns back to Kairi, who is watching her intently. "When are you going to tell him, Cami? He might be a little less frantic if he knew…"

She cuts off the redhead, "Or he'd be even more frantic! Gods in Valhalla, Kairi he thinks I have a flu and he losing his mind!"

The other girl shakes her head slowly, "No, he thinks you're coming down with what Luka has and it's destroying him. I know you were hoping to be able to get into the village and talk to Gothi, but Cami that isn't going to happen soon enough."

The blonde sits back down and wraps up in her fur again, "I can't tell him until I'm sure. If I'm wrong…"

Kairi stares at her, annoyed that's she's willing to hold out. "Cami, you have to tell him. Tonight." She cuts off the blonde when she tries to protest again, "You tell him, Cami. Or I will, and that's just not something a man should hear from anyone other than his wife!"

….

Smoke is trying to help by using his huge wings as windbreaks, but the storm is merciless and Hiccup is spending more time picking himself up from the ground than making any progress. He's about three hours into this madness now, and unwilling to quit empty handed. He's pretty sure he's still headed in the direction of Gothi's hut but he can't really see anything through the blowing snow to judge by. At this point he's pretty much given up on navigating himself and he's leaving it to the Stormcutter to find their way. The big dragon knows where everything is and his senses are better.

But he's so tired, and he's dizzy. He hasn't felt well the last few days but he never allowed himself to slow down because too much is riding on him. He just wants to sit down for a few minutes. His left leg is screaming in pain from the cold the metal prosthetic is absorbing and passing on to him. The dragon hide on the bottom must have worn through again, but he can't replace it until one of the dragons sheds and none of them are due.

He's wracked with coughing because of the frigid dry air and his chest hurts so badly, maybe just a small break. He has a warm dragon to curl up to, so he doesn't need to worry about freezing to death…

…

It's been about four hours since Hiccup left. Cami and Kairi are taking turns looking out the window, hoping to see him returning.

"Cami, the wind died down." The red head cracks the shutter open to fill a pail with snow to melt. Water is one thing they definitely haven't had to worry about running short on with all of the snow. "Maybe he'll be home soon since Smoke will be able to fly now."

Cami joins her at the open window with more pails to fill. It's still snowing heavily, but without the high winds it's actually pretty to watch. She sees Sven limping on his crutch across the clearing, trying to get into the stable to care for the dragons before the storms pick up again, when for most of the day she hasn't even been able to see Othere's house at all.

Koen steps out of his house across the way and yells for Sven. Cami's heart freezes and she shares a distressed look with Kairi. If they're calling for Sven, Luka is either turning the corner, or she's not going to make it. Kairi murmurs a prayer to Eir quietly under her breath as the women continue to gather snow.

They see Koen pass Sven, obviously planning to take care of the dragons for the younger man while he sees to his sister. Koen appears to have aged ten years in the past three weeks, Cami sees a streak of gray in his glossy dark hair and there are lines on his face that weren't there before winter closed them off from everything.

Koen's head jerks up, watching something in the sky. Her heart starts to pound, because he must see Smoke returning and that means Hiccup is safe!

Without stopping to consider, she grabs her fur blanket and pulls it around her shoulder before sprinting to the door and out into the cold afternoon air to look for the Stormcutter. But the dragon that lands isn't Smoke, it's Stoick's Rumblehorn carrying Ryce.

He sees her and leaps from the big dragon's back gracefully, "Cami! Hiccup is at Gothi's. Smoke brought him to the village just as the winds were dying down unconscious. He has a fever and from what Gobber and Fish were able to translate from Gothi his lungs are congested. Stoick sent me to find out how the rest of you are doing and to get you."

Koen joins them, a serious look on his face. "We're not doing well and without Hiccup we're in a bad position, Ryce. Sven twisted his ankle, Avita and I have been quarantined because Luka has Morbilli, and Hiccup has been caring for seven people and eight dragons pretty much on his own. He was heading into Berk because he needed to get supplies for all of us and feverweed for Luka. If we don't get it this evening Avita doesn't think she'll last the night."

Cami gasps, starting to feel like her knees won't hold her up anymore. Her husband is sick and her friend is dying and it's all a little too much for her at the moment. Koen grabs her before she can fall. "Will Mango be able to make it through the snow now that the winds have calmed?"

She looks at him, dazed, unable to formulate a response. He shakes her gently, "Cami! We need you to pull yourself together. Can Mango fly through this or not? If not, Slate should be able to but you need to go to the village and be with him."

Koen finally shakes his head, the blonde is shutting down quickly and she can't make these decisions. "Ryce, take her. I'll get Kairi and follow behind. She should be able to help with Hiccup and if the weather holds we need to get Gothi here for Luka."

Koen hands Cami off to Ryce and starts to head for Hiccup's house to collect Kairi when Toothless starts screeching and ramming his pen in the stable. Koen groans, all he needs now is an over-protective Night Fury worried about his missing rider thrown into this mix but he doesn't have time to waste. He calls in to Kairi to grab her basket of herbs and meet him in the stable.

He isn't used to rigging Toothless up for flight so it takes him longer, and every minute sees the dragon becoming more upset. "Toothless, you need to stop. I'm not as good at this as Hiccup."

Mention of his rider's name causes the Night Fury to start crooning sadly and Koen wonders if he heard Ryce telling them about Hiccup collapsing. Given the usually well-behaved dragon's actions it seems likely. "Toothless, we're going to see him, OK? I just need you to let me get you saddled up so we can go."

Kairi runs into the stable and Toothless settles enough for Koen to finish connecting his gear. "Kairi, I haven't flown Toothless by myself in years, you do it. We need to get there as quickly as possible."

The redhead vaults into the saddle smoothly and Koen settles in behind her, holding her herbs so she can use both hands to control the dragon. When they get out into the yard, she quietly murmurs, "Toothless, he's at Gothi's. Take us there."

Koen is sure that Toothless understands the situation now, because he's in the air and heading towards the village at full speed. His folded wings are giving off the characteristic screech that still occasionally causes the people of Berk to scream 'Get Down!' when they hear him coming. Even though Ryce and Cami had an admirable head start on Skullcrusher, the Rumblehorn is no competition for Toothless at full speed. Toothless blows past the other dragon and is in the village in less than three minutes. He lands but starts running to the door of Gothi's hut before either of the people on his back can dismount.

Koen is nearly unseated and has to grab tight to Kairi's waist when the Night Fury stands up on his back legs and batters the door with his front paws, screeching loudly. They both call out to the dragon to calm down, but he's frantic and refusing to listen.

Stoick yanks the door open and glares at the irate Night Fury, "Calm down! Gothi'll not allow you in with him if you're in a rage, Toothless."

The dragon sits and warbles sadly to Stoick. Koen and Kairi slide from his back gratefully. Neither is used to such antics from Toothless, he normally saves his full speed and occasional tantrums for Hiccup.

Koen looks up at Stoick, "How is he?"

The larger man gives one final warning look to the Night Fury and steps back before answering, "He's still unconscious, but Gothi got his fever down and his breathing sounds much better. He should wake soon."

Toothless is at the bedside in a bound, his head nudging to get beneath Hiccup's arm while he coos at his rider. Koen's heart breaks when he sees the condition his nephew is in. He's only seen Hiccup bundled in furs for the past few weeks since nobody can visit, and now it's apparent exactly how much weight his nephew lost.

"Odin, He's skin and bones!"

Cami stumbles in and heads for him, but the smell of all of the herbs and remedies Gothi has around the place sets her stomach rolling again and she dashes for a pail in the corner.

Koen looks at Kairi, and the redhead is quick to whisper, "This is between them, Koen. I can't say anything."

It takes a little sweet-talking and a carefully couched order that sounds more like a request from Stoick, but Gothi finally consents to fly out to Koen's house and see if there's anything she can do for Luka. She stomps around, grabbing potions and herbs seemingly at random to shove into a satchel before pointing to Ryce and gesturing to the sky.

Kairi settles in next to Hiccup after the older healer leaves, frowning. "Unless he was deliberately holding in the coughing so we wouldn't know, this came on really suddenly."

She lays her ear against his chest with her hand over his heart. Even though Cami knows it's an innocent gesture from a girl who considers him a big brother, she can't help feeling a twinge of something dark and ugly at seeing another female touch her husband. She's worse than useless with herbs and healing though, so she tamps down her annoyance and lets Kairi work.

Kairi looks over to Stoick, "Did Gothi give him anything other than for the fever, because he sounds clear now."

Stoick gestures to the small table next to Kairi, "She gave him what's in those two bottles. I have no idea what they are since she won't speak."

Kairi sits up and takes each bottle to sniff the contents. "This one is honey, ginger, and … what is that? Onion? This is for the congestion in his lungs, and it must be working." The other bottle is given the same treatment, "This one is essence of feverweed. I wish we still had some dragon nip; that might work even better."

Seeing the confused faces all around she looks right at Koen, "Remember in Rome? The healer used catnip on Avita's uncle and it was almost miraculous. Dragon nip is nearly same plant, but stronger. I would have recommended Avita try it for Luka, but we were already out by then and the boys wouldn't have found any still alive under all the snow."

Koen looks over to Stoick, "Do you happen to have any dried dragon nip in your stores? We might be able to save Luka's life and keep Hiccup from getting any worse in one fell swoop."

Stoick shakes his head, "We don't store it for communal use." The dejection on his face lifts, "But… I can go ask around. Nearly everybody in this village cares for a dragon, I'd wager somebody has some put aside for personal use."

Sweeping us his bear pelt, Stoick strides out the door. The loud bang when he closes it behind him causes Hiccup to groan and scrunch his face up. Toothless trills loudly and starts butting his rider with his big head, trying to keep him awake.

Hiccup's arm comes up almost reflexively to push against Toothless' muzzle. His voice is raspy and hoarse, "C'mon, bud. Let me sleep in."

Cami is at his side in an instant, her rolling stomach momentarily forgotten, "Hiccup…"

His eyes don't open, but he seems cognizant. "Cami? You should be in bed, you don't sound good."

Koen snorts loudly, causing Hiccup to finally scrunch his eyes up and then barely open them. He looks around, immediately noticing he's not at home. "Why am I at Gothi's?"

Koen steps up behind Cami and smooths a hand over his nephew's forehead, he's still warm, but not fever-hot which makes Koen feel a lot better. "Smoke brought you here, you collapsed because, as I said last night… you're working yourself too hard."

Cami helps him drink some water, tears leaking down her face. She's had too many strong emotions tearing through her in the past hour, and it's finally caught up to her. As she's setting the cup aside, his hand comes up to brush away the tears and she's finally hit her limit.

"I begged you to stay in today!" She knocks his hand away from her face, but even in her anger she remembers to be gentle with him. "I pleaded with you, and you wouldn't listen! Gods, Hiccup I lost it when Ryce said you were unconscious!"

She starts pacing, unable to calm herself, "I gave up everything for you because I love you, and I'm watching you kill yourself!"

Hiccup's eyes flick to Koen and Kairi, trying to be inconspicuous in the far corner of Gothi's small hut. He doesn't like that his uncle is watching his first fight with his wife, but he can't ask them to step outside in this weather, either.

"Cami, can we talk about this later?" He doesn't like the tone he's using. He's never angry with Cami and he's certainly never spoken sharply to her before.

But then, she's never yelled at him before. It's very unlike her to let her emotions get the better of her, and she never displays any discord they may have in front of others. Despite her fiery personality and his stubborn temper, they manage to talk to each other before things escalate like this, and that she's attacking him without letting him say anything bothers him more than he thought possible.

He tries to sit up only to have her shove his shoulder back down, "Oh no! You are staying right there until Gothi says you can get up, you stubborn pig-headed man!"

She swipes up the fur blanket she's been wearing as a shawl angrily, "I'm going back home! Don't let him out of bed, Kairi because I sure as all Hel am not raising this baby alone!"

She's out the door and onto Smoke before Koen can stop her. He turns back to see Kairi with her face in her hands, shaking her head back and forth slowly. Hiccup's face is frozen somewhere between irritation with his wife and shock. Koen is pretty sure his own expression is just shock.

"Kairi, is this why she's been sick?" Hiccup's voice is strained, and the redhead is honestly afraid that between the fight with Cami and the news she dropped on him before running off, it will do him further harm.

"I told her to tell you, Hiccup. Not like this obviously, but I thought if you knew why she wasn't feeling well it might relieve your mind some."

His sarcasm is fully functional, even if he's too weak to get out of bed and chase after his stubborn wife, "Oh yeah. I feel much better knowing my pregnant wife just ran out of here and flew into a storm alone on dragon back."

He looks over to Koen, "Please, go after her. Take Kairi and Toothless, I'll be fine until Gothi gets back."

Koen nods; he and Kairi begin gathering up their furs and her basket before walking out of Gothi's hut and calling for the Night Fury. Toothless warbles at Hiccup, clearly expecting his rider to get out of bed and come with him.

Hiccup pets his big head, "No, bud. You need to go home and take care of Cami and Mango for me. I'll be here for a day or two, then I'll come home, I promise."

After a final nuzzle, Toothless finally complies with his rider's wishes and leaves the hut. Hiccup watches as the dragon uses his tail to push the door closed, and then he collapses back against his pillow, trying desperately to reign in all of the chaos in his head.


	16. Chapter 15

Real life once again decided to get in the way of writing. I've had my in-laws up from Florida for the past week and a half (Yay. Not!) so you can imagine how much time I've had to sit down and write. None. I've had zero time to write for the past week and it was driving me insane because writing is how I get my head on straight after a long day of kids and stress and everything else.

But the in-laws are safely headed back home and I can write again. Hopefully I don't have any other major life disruptions for the foreseeable future!

…..

Chapter 15

Toothless is balking at being taken home while his human needs him, and it's taking Kairi and Koen both to hold him steady. Kairi keeps whispering to the dragon and he coos back at her. He'll calm and fly straight for a second or two after, but then he tries to turn back again.

Koen, famous amongst all who know him for his level-headed demeanor, finally loses his temper and yells at the dragon, "Gods damn it all, Toothless! He told you to go home and protect Cami now stop fighting us!"

He immediately feels horrible for yelling because Toothless peeks over his shoulder at Koen with big, hurt eyes and warbles sadly. He leans over slightly to rub the sleek black scales along Toothless' side, "I'm sorry, Toothless. I know you're just as worried as we are. But Cami is… how can I explain this to a dragon, Kairi? Especially one that's never taken a mate?"

Kairi rubs behind Toothless' ear frills and explains gently, "Cami will have a hatchling soon, Toothless. Hiccup is worried because he can't watch over her and the hatchling while he's sick. He needs you to protect her for him, he trusts you with his mate and child. Understand?"

Toothless screeches and stops fighting them. He picks up speed with a massive downswing of his wings and they're home a few minutes later. Koen takes Toothless into the stable to get the gear off of the Night Fury while Kairi goes into the house ahead of him to check on Cami.

Koen knows that mood swings are typical of pregnant women, but he truly doesn't want to go in there to check on her until Kairi's had a chance to calm her back down. He's known Cami for nearly five years and has watched her relationship with Hiccup for the past three… Cami never yells at Hiccup. Even when they do get angry at each other, they remain calm and talk. For Cami to scream at her husband like that, she must be having one Hel of a mood swing and he wants no part of it.

Unfortunately for him, now that Toothless understands the situation he's not going to allow anyone to keep him from his rider's mate. Koen is begging the dragon to hold still so he can take his gear off only for his words to fall on deaf ears. After several moments that try Koen's patience to its' already strained limits, he finally gets the last buckle undone and opens the door for the impatient dragon.

Toothless is across the snow that is deeper than he is tall in a few clumsy bounds that normally would have Koen laughing. He stands up on his back legs and batters the door with his paws like he did at Gothi's and Kairi opens the door just far enough to step out. "Toothless, you can't be jumping around and rough near Cami. If you knock her over you can hurt her or the hatchling. Do you understand? You have to stay calm, Toothless."

The dragon plops down onto his haunches and makes a frustrated noise, but Kairi isn't budging. He hasn't agreed to be good yet, and she's not letting him in until she knows he won't rush Cami. "You have to be calm inside, Toothless. If you want to sit with Cami, you will behave, yes?"

He finally coos at her and she opens the door for him to enter. She pulls the door shut again and looks at Koen, "She's actually rather mortified you saw her fall apart and scream at Hiccup like that. If you want, you can take Smoke and go back to Gothi's because she'd rather not have company at the moment and she doesn't want Hiccup left alone. She's afraid he's crazy enough to try to hijack a dragon from Berk Village and get back home after she left like that."

Koen gives the redhead a wry grin, "Yeah, well I couldn't blame him. His wife literally screamed she was pregnant and then ran out into a blizzard. I'd be a little perturbed too. I'll go over and see how Gothi's faring with Luka and then I'll go sit with him until somebody is there to keep him from doing anything foolhardy."

The short trip to his house is heart-wrenching. Sven is sitting on a bench at the table with his head in his hands and his shoulders shaking. Koen fears the worst for a moment, but the younger man looks up and sees him. He rubs at his eyes and sniffles, trying to pull himself together and Koen is reminded of how painfully young Sven really is. Yes, he's a grown man but he lost his parents at twelve and took over responsibility for his twin and for Kairi, cutting his childhood short. Koen thinks that's why he's retained his playfulness and immaturity much longer than most boys his age do, because he couldn't really be a child when he should have.

He's also more emotional than Luka. She plays everything close to the vest, Sven's heart is on his sleeve at all times. "Koen… How are the dragons doing?"

Koen slaps himself on the forehead, "I'll get to them next… I had an unplanned trip into Berk Village because Hiccup collapsed in the woods. I came by real quick to let Avita know I'm going back into the village and to see if Gothi's said anything about Luka?"

Sven tries to grin at him, but it falls flat, "That old fraud can talk, she just doesn't like to. But she's talking because she doesn't have anybody to translate for her. She said Luka's past the point of infecting anybody else, and if you haven't started to show signs of the illness by now you're not going to. So we're free to go in and out." He looks up at Koen with stark terror in his eyes, "She said if they can't break the fever soon, she won't last much longer…"

The younger man breaks down sobbing again, and Koen crosses the room to sit beside him. He puts an arm around Sven's still shaking shoulders and is startled when the younger man turns and wraps him up in a hug, crying harshly against Koen's chest.

"Sven, I don't want to give you false hope because you're smart and you know what fevers do to people. But Kairi remembered something from our last trip to Rome. Avita's uncle got sick, remember? The healers were desperate and they used catnip; it broke the fever within an hour or two."

Sven sniffles again, "But catnip doesn't grow this far north…"

Koen strokes a hand down the blond head like he's trying to soothe a frightened child, and then he realizes that's what he's doing essentially.

"No it doesn't. But dragon nip does. Kairi thinks it might work, and Stoick went to see if anybody in Berk Village had any saved up for the winter. Let Avita know what's happening for me. I'm going to feed the dragons and get back to Hiccup. Hopefully Stoick'll be along with some dragon nip soon."

He bundles back up and heads for Othere's stable. He decides on the way over he's going to take Slate back with him, because out of the bigger dragons the Gronkle's had the least exercise lately. After feeding and cleaning out the stalls, he pulls down Slate's saddle and the big dragon starts wiggling his whole body in excitement. "I know it's been weeks since you've had any real time outside, Slate. Just hold still and we'll go take a nice flight, OK?"

Slate settles enough for Koen to get him saddled and out into the yard. After securing the doors and getting into the saddle Slate bounds up into the air. Koen rarely has a reason to ride the Gronkle, so he's forgotten how bumpy and slow the flight is compared to some of the others. But they make it into the village in fairly decent time for a Gronkle. He stables Slate in with Gothi's neighbors' dragon, leaving a note on the gate of the pen in case the owner of said stable comes out and wonders where on Midgard spare Gronkles are appearing from.

Hiccup is sleeping when he steps back into the healer's hut and closes the door behind himself. The click of the door wakes him though, and he seems surprised to see his uncle removing his furs again.

"I thought you were going home?"

Koen smiles at him, "Cami is embarrassed for me to see her right now, and my house is full at the moment. Since I was just underfoot, I decided to come back here and make sure you don't decide to do something crazy."

Hiccup smiles back at the old joke, "I might do something stupid, instead."

Koen rolls his eyes, "You already did enough 'stupid' for one day, yeah?"

Hiccup nods and tries to stifle a cough. Koen finds him a few squares of linen to use as handkerchiefs and starts mentally tallying the time since Hiccup was brought here. He might need another dose of the concoction for his lungs. He puts his wrist against his nephew's forehead, it's still a bit warmer than usual, but not an outright fever.

He's about to find a spoon and make Hiccup take more medicine when the door slams open and Stoick comes stomping in, "I found some dragon nip! Hofferson's had a bunch because Astrid's Nadder gets downright bitey when she can't get out enough during storms. They keep her sedated with the dragon nip through the worst of it..."

Stoick looks around in confusion, "Where's everybody else? Come to think of it, where's Toothless? How on Midgard did you pry that overprotective lizard away from Hiccup when he's sick?"

Hiccup gives Koen a look he easily interprets, they will not mention the baby to Stoick until Hiccup has had a chance to talk to Cami. He completely agrees with his nephew, Stoick will get over-excited and probably upset Cami if he finds out tonight.

"Cami hasn't been feeling well, a little flu or something. The smells of all the herbs kept making her sick, so Kairi and Toothless took her home. She'll be back tomorrow if she's feeling better."

Stoick nods understandingly, "Koen, you should take this dragon nip back to your house then. I'll stay here with Hiccup until Ryce and Skullcrusher come back with Gothi."

He understands his brother's very real desire to stay by his sick child, but the sick child in question is a nearly twenty one year old man… and this particular father and son don't always get along that well. The last thing Hiccup needs at the moment is a screaming match with his father. He leans over to give Hiccup a hug and whispers, "For the love of the gods, don't get yourself worked up. If he annoys you, say you're tired and fake sleep, please!"

Hiccup whispers back, "I don't care how embarrassed that stubborn woman is, I want you to lay eyes on her and assure yourself she is fine so you can assure me of that tomorrow."

Koen smooths the tangled auburn hair off of Hiccup's forehead and remembers the medicines, "Stoick, he's starting to get warm and sound phlegmy again. You may have to give him another dose from those two bottles Gothi left. I'll be back tomorrow as long as the weather holds."

Stoick smiles, "It should. The worst of the storms are about done by this time, it'll just be cold as Hoor's left nut between now and spring."

He follows Koen out the door and hands him the sack of dragon nip, "How bad are things out there, really? I didn't want to ask in front of him because he'll assume I'm doubting him, but I'm worried about all of you being so far from the village in this weather."

Koen nods and decides to show a little faith in Stoick. He wasn't the best parent, but he's always been an incredible Chief. "We're in dire straits with Hiccup down, Stoick. Sven twisted an ankle, Cami's been sick, Avita and I were in quarantine with Luka, and Hiccup worked himself nearly to death taking care of everybody. Gothi lifted the quarantine tonight, and if Othere's healed enough to come home that would be a great starting place. Another man or two that doesn't mind hunting in deep snow or fishing from dragon back in this weather would be a great help, though. That way we can rotate and give everybody time to recover fully."

Stoick's face is aged and sad for a moment, "He doesn't have to do this alone, Koen, I have men that don't have families that can live out there to help until spring. I'd offer myself but I know he wouldn't want me underfoot for that long."

"Maybe if you explain it just that way, he'll listen." Koen continues carefully, not wanting to offend the large man, but needing him to _hear_ what's being said this time. "You do tend to come across like you're always criticizing and have no faith in him, Stoick."

He stops the big man before he can interject, "It's not all you. He was so used to you thinking poorly of him in the past that he often takes your words the wrong way now. But you two really need to figure out how to communicate with each other or he won't stay here."

Stoick's eyes slide closed and pain washes across his face, "I don't think he wants to be Chief of Berk, Koen. He probably has other options already planned out."

Koen nods, unwilling to lie to the larger man. "Dovon would love nothing more than to pass his chieftaincy to Hiccup through Cami. Her half-brother Oakbranch is, to say it nicely, less intelligent than a brain-dead sheep. Cami's his eldest after all; she wasn't named Heir because Bashem won't accept a female Chief, and being Bog they thought she'd never marry. Now she has a husband that can rule in her stead. Dovon loves Hiccup like his own, the Oiks love Hiccup and would follow him without question, and he loves Bashem."

Stoick groans, but Koen continues before he can start ranting about Dovon stealing his son, "And of course Avita was unable to provide me with heirs, so it's only natural that my only living blood relative would succeed me. Before he decided to try and fix things with you, I named him my heir… to everything. The ships and port in Lapland and the estate in Gaul."

Stoick's mouth gapes open and closed a few times like a fish out of water before he finds his voice, "How much land are we talking there?"

Koen stops to think, "Well, you've been to Birka. All of the storage buildings are mine and eighteen ships. You know my family's been in the trading business for several generations now, and Hiccup shows all of the acumen of an accomplished merchant. He's better at it than I am, and he enjoys it. The land in Gaul is about three times the size of Berk Island. Besides my hall and the village, there are fortified halls for five of my knights that have decent sized villages around them. All told, around ten thousand souls live on my Southern lands."

Stoick can't even believe what he's hearing now, "How on Midgard do you have time to fly around up here with my son if you have that much to oversee?"

Koen laughs heartily, "I learned much from my time here when you and Val were newly wedded, Stoick. You are unable to delegate and you run yourself into the ground trying to do everything yourself instead of relying on your Second and your Council to take some of the weight off of you. You are an incredible leader, but you did it at the expense of yourself and your family and I swore I'd never do that. I found good people I can trust to oversee my affairs, and I let them do it. I'm very hands off, I just pop in to check the books and settle big problems when needed. My captains are completely capable of handling the ships and finding their own ports to trade in. My knights keep the peace on my estate, and Avita's younger brother rules all in my stead. I never wanted to lead men, you know this."

Stoick leans back against the wall of Gothi's hut and Koen can't remember when he last saw his brother in law at such a loss for words.

"Your son, he's a natural leader. He is literally the perfect cross between your style and mine, present times excluded because this has been an extreme set of circumstances. I can't think of a better man to hand everything off to. If he wants it."

Stoick finally finds his voice, "And if he chooses to stay on Berk?"

"The port is his no matter what." Koen's voice is firm, "It's only three hours by dragon, well on Toothless anyways. Slower dragons might be more like four or five hours, but he could take a day weekly to check in. I can't even begin to tell you what having such a large and well-established trading business could mean for Berk, Stoick. You'd never have to worry about your people's welfare again. If he doesn't want the lands in Gaul, Avita's brother Francisco will just have to accept them. He's done a phenomenal job for me these past five years."

The raw pain in Stoick's voice is almost too much for Koen to handle, "Why would he ever choose to stay here? He has the entire world pretty well laid out at his feet if he leaves with you after Othere marries the Hofferson lass."

Koen looks the big man squarely in the eye, if Stoick's ever going to truly listen it's going to be now. "The only thing that boy has ever really wanted in his life is your love and approval. He has love and respect for Dovon and for me, but we're not you. Everything he's done since he left Berk, has been so he could prove himself worthy of being the son of Stoick the Vast."

Hiccup told Koen that his father let a few tears escape the night of their fight, but what Koen is seeing now is something he thought never to see; Stoick the Vast, renowned throughout the Northlands for his lack of emotion, is crying like a babe.

Koen gently places a hand on the large man's heaving shoulder, "I'm going to head back so Gothi can try this dragon nip for Luka. Gather yourself, and talk to your son. Don't talk at him, Stoick, he's far past the age of heeding what you say just because you're his father. Listen to him, really listen. All can't be fixed in one night, but if you listen to him it can eventually be good between you."

Stoick watches as Koen walks into the stable next door and emerges with Othere's dragon before mounting up and leaving. He hopes Koen is right, because the one thing he's wanted most since Hiccup first flew away was to have the little boy who used to look at him as if he'd hung the moon back.


	17. Chapter 16

**Hello lovely friends! Sorry it took me almost 2 weeks, but with everything else I have going on, I've been having a bit of trouble writing lately. This chapter is one of those that kind of took off and went places I wasn't expecting, and I spent about four days trying to beat it back into submission before I gave up and let it write itself. I've found I do best when I let my writing be an organic process. I take a few main points I want in the chapter, then kind of build around it and see where my characters go with it. Hope you all enjoy.**

….

Chapter 16

Hiccup is too worn out to deal with his father on top of everything else this evening, so he decides to take Koen's advice and fake sleep. Hopefully Stoick will either leave, or he'll fall asleep for real. He can hear murmurs of the conversation the two older men are having outside the door, but he can't make out their words. The steady, deep cadences of their voices and the warmth of the fire are having the desired effect of lulling him to sleep and a small smile forms on his lips. He can't remember how many times he fell asleep this very way as a child, but the voice mixing with his fathers' would either be Gobber or Ingmar.

He's more than halfway asleep when the click of the door shutting catches his attention again. He doesn't open his eyes but he can hear someone shuffling around the small room. This is strangely reminiscent of his childhood as well; his dad coming in late while he's half asleep and tending to the fire before sitting down to carve something for a bit. The soft whisper of the knife over wood is strangely soothing and he finally drifts off.

…..

He has no way of gauging how long he's been asleep but he's woken by someone shaking his shoulder gently, "Hiccup, wake up. Your fever is rising and you need more of this medicine."

He's bleary and doesn't really understand what's going on. The dizziness is back and he can't remember where he is at the moment, "Cami?"

The voice is far too deep to be his wife. "No, Cami is safe at home. You need to drink this, you'll feel better."

He grimaces at the bitter, herbal taste on his tongue but doesn't protest. A warm hand smooths his hair back from his forehead and he leans into it. Koen's done this every time he's gotten sick since he met his uncle.

His voice is raspy, "Thought you were gonna go check on Cami for me. Worried 'bout her, Koen. Don't like it when she's mad."

His eyes are closed so he doesn't see the hurt that flickers across his father's face when he immediately assumes his uncle is the one caring for him. He hears the older man clear his throat, "Just sleep, Hiccup. You'll feel better in the morning."

The voice doesn't sound right to him, but he's too tired to concern himself with it at the moment.

…

It's still dark outside when he wakes again. The dizziness is gone and his lungs aren't hurting so he assumes the odd dream he had actually occurred and Koen got more medicine down his throat. He looks for his uncle, but the silhouette in the corner is far too large to be Koen's. He'd almost think it was Othere if not for the beard he can barely make out in the dying light of the fire.

"Dad?"

The large shape jerks slightly, as if startled out of sleep. He hears the familiar sounds of the fire being stirred up and the room brightens enough for him to see he was correct, his father is the one in front of the hearth. The large man comes over and places a wrist against his forehead. Finding it cooler, the large hand brushes his hair out of his eyes again.

Stoick's voice is a quiet rumble, "Are you feeling better, son? You had me worried there for a bit."

He nods, "Yeah, I can breathe without pain and I'm not dizzy anymore. Have you been here all night?"

Stoick nods, "Gothi came home exhausted after being at Koen's til well past midnight. I told her I'd keep an eye on you so she can rest, I don't have anywhere more important to be than right here."

Hiccup start to sit up, but that large hand gently pushes his shoulder back down. "Nay, you're to stay there until Gothi checks you over. We've already had one close call this winter, let's not have another."

His father's words jar his memory, "Luka! Did Gothi say anything… well sign anything about how she's doing? Is she alright?"

Stoick sighs, "You know I'm not the best at reading her signs, but from what I could tell Luka is still fighting. That girl is strong, son. You have to have faith in her to pull through."

He sighs and lets himself go slack against the pillows, "I need to get back home tomorrow, dad. Cami's sick, Sven's hurt, Koen's been quarantined… I need to take care of everybody."

He almost expects his father to issue an immediate denial, but the large man just regards him calmly. "How do you take care of everybody if you go down again, son? I understand that you have this need to make sure your people are cared for, but you can't neglect yourself, either."

He smiles wryly; if anybody would understand this particular dilemma it's his father. "I can't leave them as they are, though."

His father returns the smile, "Nay, you can't. But there are options you might not have considered yet." He raises an eyebrow and his father continues in the same careful tone, "Ingmar says if you need Othere home he can go. He just has to be careful not to fall on those ribs again."

Hiccup shakes his head, "I can't make that promise. The last three or four times I was out hunting I spent more time falling than tracking game."

Stoick nods, "Aye, I thought that might be the case. Koen is no longer under quarantine. That will help, but Gothi's not going to want you out in the woods or on Toothless in this weather for a bit yet, so that just wears your uncle down."

He rubs his hands down his face, "I'm kinda running out of options here, Dad."

Stoick's voice is still quiet and without inflection, "Nay, there's one more. You let me send a few of my men out there. Taavi and Vadik don't have families of their own to worry about, they're both good hunters, and they both know how to fish from dragon back. They can help out so you can get well and Koen doesn't kill himself before Sven and Othere are completely healed."

He nods thoughtfully, "Do you think they would mind?"

Stoick is elated his son is actually taking his advice, but keeps his face and voice calm, "I don't see why they would. You have an empty house at the moment, right? They can bunk up there, make any needed repairs, and help exercise the dragons since they don't have any themselves. Taavi never took a dragon of his own, and Vadik had that ancient Nadder, remember?"

Hiccup thinks back to when the dragon peace was fresh. Taavi learned to ride dragons, but hadn't found one that connected with him before Hiccup left Berk. Apparently he'd never found one. Vadik had connected with an ancient female Nadder. Her hide was scarred and faded, but he loved her anyways. "Vadik had that old green Nadder, right? Called her Holmik or something?"

Stoick nods, "Aye, she passed two years ago. Her hide had faded out to almost gray by then and she could barely spit a flame but he never gave up on her. Never looked for a new dragon after she was gone either."

Hiccup's brow wrinkles up in thought, "Shouldn't they be caring for the Jorgenson's dragons right now though? Aunt Gerda can't handle those two alone…"

Stoick cuts him off, "Gerda has moved into my house and Spitelout's Nightmare is living in my stable for the time being. Without Spitelout to make repairs the place was falling apart due to the storms. Fishlegs bought it from her. The money'll keep her for years if she wants to live independently, but I told her she always has a home with me."

He is quick to notice one of the dragons wasn't accounted for. "What about Hookfang? You said Helborn was in your stable, where's Hookfang?"

Stoick sighs, "Hookfang never came back from the breeding grounds this year; we figure he decided to stay wild since his rider was gone."

He nods sadly. He was afraid that might happen since the two shared a close bond. "Well, I'm glad things are getting better between you and Aunt Gerda, Dad."

The large man nods thoughtfully, "Aye, me too. But I'd like to find her worthless husband's body and kill him again myself; the first month she lived with me she cringed like I was about to strike her every time I spoke. Broke my heart to see it…"

Before Hiccup can reply his father shifts in his seat, "You should sleep. Gothi'll have the dragon nip concoction ready by morning." He gestures to the large cauldron hanging over the embers of the fire. "If that stuff works like Kairi's hoping, you'll be going home tomorrow. I'll talk to Taavi and Vadik, but I'm sure they'll be happy to help out."

"Dad…" He's not sure exactly what he wants to say. It's probably the best conversation they've ever had because for once Hiccup was conscious of his reactions to Stoick's words and Stoick was careful to make sure he didn't sound like he was giving orders or criticizing.

Stoick seems to understand his hesitation perfectly, "Don't worry about it now, son. We'll talk more after you're better. Just get some rest."

…..

When Hiccup wakes again his father is gone, but Gothi and Kairi are both standing over the cauldron. He can hear the quiet murmur of the older woman's voice as she instructs the young redhead but he can't quite make out what's being said. He assumes his fever is rising again because he has a headache and he's feeling dizzy even though he's laying down.

"Kairi? Can I have some water, please?"

He hates asking her to bring it, but he doesn't think he could stay upright if he managed to make it to his feet. Both women turn towards him; Gothi looks annoyed, but that's usual for the old healer. Kairi smiles at him and brings him some water. She sets it aside and helps him sit up against the back of the bed before handing him the cup. While he's drinking, she lays her wrist against his forehead and then lays her ear against his chest for a moment before turning back to Gothi.

"His fever's up again and his lungs are starting to sound rapsy, but his breathing should be fine if you want to separate the two until we see the effects."

Gothi nods and bottles some of the concoction from her cauldron. Hiccup sees that it's a deep red color and it confuses him. Dragon nip is green. Kairi pours out a measure of the liquid and hands it to Hiccup.

"If anything feels different after you take this, we need to know. Good or bad, small or big… any changes you have to tell us. We have no clue how this will affect a human being, but if it works anything like catnip your fever will be gone in an hour or two."

Hiccup drinks the syrup offered, and is pleasantly surprised that it isn't bitter. When he asks Kairi about the taste, she giggles, "I used some honey and ginger in it. I figured there's no point in it being horrible."

Hiccup isn't exactly sure how to decipher Gothi's strange markings on the hourglass but he thinks it's been fifteen minutes since he took the medicine when his dizziness and headache start to fade away. He means to tell Kairi, but he feels giddy for some reason and it distracts him.

….

He's not sure how long he was asleep this time, but based on how dry his mouth is and how fuzzy his head feels he thinks it must have been awhile. He starts to sit up with a groan, but a gentle hand on his shoulder stops him. He scrunches up his face and tries to open his eyes, but everything spins.

"Am I drunk?" His voice is hoarse and he barely recognizes it as his own.

That gentle hand is on him again, this time checking his forehead and then pressing lightly against his neck for a few moments. The voice attached to the hand is familiar but he can't quite place it.

"You acted very drunk for about two hours, but you're not."

The hands help him sit up and prop his back against the headboard of the bed before handing him a cup of water. The water clears the worst of the cobwebs from his mind.

"The dragon nip potion…my headache went away but then I don't remember anything else."

There is humor in the soft voice now, "Well at least one of us won't remember your singing. You have a horrible voice."

He still can't open his eyes, "I feel hung over. How long was I out?"

"You were never out." He still can't place the voice. He knows he should be able to. "You were completely conscious the entire time, your fever broke about an hour after you took the dragon nip syrup, and then you started singing. Some was in different languages, but you seemed incredibly happy the entire time."

He groans, "Fabulous. Please tell me nobody else was around for that?"

He finally squints his eyes open and sees Kairi's amused face sitting at his bedside. "Only me and Gothi, although you were singing loudly enough that anybody walking past probably heard you."

He tries to get out of the bed, but Kairi stops him. He glares at her, but her face is implacable, "You were very sick, Hiccup. You're not getting up until Gothi says you can. And before you ask when that is, I don't know. Stoick took her out to Koen's so they could give Luka the syrup."

He grumbles and flops back against the pillows again. "Fine. How's Cami?"

She sighs, "She's embarrassed beyond all words, but she's physically fine. She has no idea why she yelled at you. She was worried for you all day and then exploded. I tried telling her emotional outbursts are normal in her condition but she's worried that you're mad at her."

"I am mad!" He surprises himself by admitting it, but it's true. "She didn't tell me what was wrong when she knew I was worried about her. Then she screamed at me in front of other people, before yelling that she was pregnant and leaving when she knew I couldn't follow her."

Kairi takes his hand, "I know. I know she's acting irrationally, and she isn't usually like that. But, Hiccup she's pregnant and it's normal for her to be irrational right now. She cried for hours last night when we got home. She told me that when I was listening to your breathing she was jealous, even though she knew it was nothing for her to be jealous about. When she started to calm down about that, she started crying because Toothless was sleeping in the house and she didn't want Mango to be lonely."

He can't even find the words to reply to what he's hearing. His practical, sensible wife wouldn't cry over Mango sleeping without Toothless. Mango prefers to sleep without Toothless! The Skrill is far less affectionate than the Night Fury is, Toothless is usually the one that insists on cudlling not the other way around. Surely Kairi has to be exaggerating a bit…

Kairi sees the look on his face and guesses where his thoughts are leading him, "I'm completely serious, Hiccup. When she calmed down about Mango, she started crying because she was sure you hated her and you'd send her back to Breakneck."

He runs his hands down his face. A lot of his anger is fading away as he processes how distraught Cami actually is at the moment. "I need to get out of here and fix this. I hate to be inhospitable, but I need you to stay at Koen's house for a few nights when I get out of here."

She smiles at him, "I can go back to my house…"

"No!" He doubts Stoick has explained their plans to anybody yet. "My father is asking a few of his men that don't have families to come live with us until spring so that Sven, Othere, and I can all heal fully without wearing Koen out caring for everybody. They're going to stay at your house and fix any damages that occurred since you and Luka haven't been there for so long."

Taavi and Vadik have been nothing but courteous to the women in his family, but Hiccup doesn't trust them. They were part of the gang of boys that treated him unkindly before he left Berk, and he won't put Kairi's safety at risk near any of the Berk men. She's only seventeen and she has no desire to marry, and he's seen the way some of the unattached men in Berk look at both of the single young women. He knows Luka can handle herself if anybody decides to get handsy with her, but Kairi's not a fighter; she's a gentle soul.

"Kairi, I'll feel a lot better if you're with Sven, Othere, Koen, or myself at all times while the Berk men are living near us. Part of the reason I wanted out of the main village was so that you and Luka would have a bit more freedom than unmarried girls here are generally given."

She nods, "I'll stay near one of you, I promise. I know you and Cami were worried about what the Berkians would say, but I can stay with Sven, Hiccup. I was raised as his sister; if they want to try to make something shameful out of me staying with my brother then they're just despicable old gossips. Besides, his ankle's not healing properly. He could use the help."

He smiles at her, "You're right. There's nothing shameful about you staying with your brother." He'll personally punch the first person stupid enough to insinuate otherwise.


	18. Chapter 17

**This chapter has been a long, long time in coming, and I am very sorry. But real life has been a cruel mistress lately. My grandfather has been hospitalized 3 times in the past 2 months now, and he will not be able to return to his own home. My husband and I have been spending a good bit of our free time pulling up old carpeting and packing/sorting/cleaning out his house. My family will be moving to his house sometime before the end of the year, and when that occurs I will probably have to take a hiatus for a couple of months. I will try to get at least one more chapter in before I have to do that, and I will put up an author's note with a guesstimate of how long I'll be gone.** _ **I WILL FINISH THIS STORY**_ **. I was not anticipating having to clean and pack two houses and moving my family when this little literary journey began, obviously. But once I get everything situated I will get this wrapped up.**

About this chapter… Cami is reacting exactly how I reacted when I was pregnant with my daughter. I am not even joking. I was the weepiest I have ever been in my life and usually over the dumbest stuff, and then I'd turn around and bite heads off. Then I'd lose my keys and find them in odd places (like the refrigerator). My sarcasm level also kicked up about 20 points (putting me at about +220), but I was so air headed sometimes that I had no clue what was going on around me. Pregnancy SUCKS. I ran over a squirrel one day on my way to work and cried for 3 hours about it, I am totally serious. I worked with all men and they were terrified of me for 9 months because of how unpredictable I was.

I know this is a short chapter, but I've had trouble getting time and motivation to write with everything else going on, and I figured I'd just stop where I was rather than trying to force it for length.

…..

Chapter 17

It's nearly dinner time before Stoick and Gothi return. Kairi looks to the old healer expectantly, and she's rewarded with a rare smile from the taciturn elder.

Stoick is still a little in awe of what he saw but there is no mistaking the happiness on the big man's face. "She's sleeping, but her fever broke and hadn't returned before we left. She'll be weak for a while, but she should recover just fine now."

Gothi bustles over to the bed where Hiccup is sitting, fully dressed and ready to leave. She glares at him, but it lacks the usual heat and he smiles cheekily at her, "I'm not sick anymore. I don't need to lie down."

She checks his forehead and listens to his chest for several moments before harrumphing and turning to her shelves. She sorts through and hands Kairi a bottle before writing something on a piece of parchment and handing it to the redhead.

Kairi reads it off for him, "You need to stay inside for the next two weeks. Your lungs are still a little raspy and if you aggravate them you'll get sick again. Take a spoonful from this bottle every night before you go to bed."

He sighs and rolls his eyes, but nods to appease Gothi. "Two weeks. Do I need to come back to you before I get back to my regular routine or not?"

She takes the parchment back from Kairi and scribbles again before handing it back to the younger woman. "Not unless you still have any raspiness in your lungs or shortness of breath."

Kairi looks at Gothi, "I'll check him in two weeks and if he needs to come back, I'll drag him myself."

Gothi nods and waves them all towards her door. Hiccup takes his furs and begins to wrap himself up securely. Kairi pulls a long woolen scarf from her bag and winds it around his face and neck several times. He glares at her, but doesn't shove it off. He knows how cold this part of winter gets in Berk; the air is enough to freeze your lungs if you don't protect your airways.

Once they're both bundled securely he waves to his father and the elder and follows Kairi out the door. She brought Smoke, and the big Stormcutter gives Hiccup an affectionate nudge before lowering himself to allow them to mount up. Neither of them tries to speak during the flight, it's just too cold.

When they land Kairi points sternly towards the house, but Hiccup follows her into the stable so he can briefly unwrap his face long enough to talk.

"Does she know I'm coming home today?"

Kairi pulls her faceguard off, but leaves her cowl over her head and ears. "Yes. I know you're still upset from the other day, but try to be gentle with her right now. If you stay calm, it'll help her stay calm."

He nods slowly, "Do you need anything or are you going to stay with Sven?"

She smiles at him, "I packed up and moved my stuff to Othere's house this morning. He just doesn't have room in his stable for Slate, Lady, Ocean, and Smoke. You don't mind if Smoke stays here, do you?"

He returns the smile, "Of course not. Once Taavi and Vadik make it out here, you can put him back in your stable if you want. Neither of them have a dragon currently, but they both know how to ride, so they can exercise him for you."

She pauses in her grooming of the Stormcutter, a frown marring her face. "I know they're going to be helping, Hiccup but you know we have dragons that just won't accept a rider other than their own. I truthfully don't know if Smoke would allow a stranger to ride him. And you know all too well what will happen if they get near Mango. Plus they can't ride Toothless and he'll need exercise while you're stuck in the house too."

He shares her concerns, but he knows they're easily fixed, "So nobody but Koen or Sven rides the touchier dragons. The Berk men can help out with Slate and Lady and Bolt and Dulce. Mango won't mind Koen riding her, neither will Ocean. Sven can handle Smoke and Toothless."

Kairi gives one final cuddle to the Stormcutter, "OK then, I'll see you and Cami later. If you need me, send Toothless to get me."

She pulls her faceguard back on and heads towards Othere's house. Hiccup stays in the stable for a few more minutes, trying to figure out how to deal with an emotionally unstable Cami, but no brilliant ideas jump out to him, and he decides he can't put it off any longer. He bundles back up and walks the short distance back to the house.

He steps in, making sure to secure the door tightly behind him. Cami turns at the sound and freezes when she sees him. He notices how her face falls and tears well up in her eyes when she sees that it's him, but he tries not to read any deeper meaning in it. He knows she's worried about how he'll react to her last outburst, so he's determined not to react yet.

Toothless comes bounding over and he braces, hoping the over-excited Night Fury won't knock him on his arse. Toothless stops and sniffs at him before starting to rub all over him, and Hiccup grins. Apparently his dragon can smell the dragon nip in his system. After a few moments he leans down to speak into Toohtless' ear frill. "Hey, Bud. I missed you too. Can you go upstairs for a while though? I need to talk to Cami."

With an annoyed huff and a few final nuzzles, the Night Fury complies and heads up the stairs for a nap. Hiccup starts to unwrap, placing his furs and Kairi's scarf on pegs near the door so they can dry.

When he's done he walks over to his still silent wife and wraps her in his arms, but he notices she's stiff as a board in his embrace. He slides a hand up to cup her jaw and lift her face to meet his gaze, "I missed you, silly woman. I'm not mad at you. I love you too damn much to stay mad."

Her silent tears turn into loud sobs and she wraps herself around him. She shows no sign of calming down, so he lifts her up and cradles her in his arms long enough to get himself situated in a chair in front of the warm hearth. Once he's comfortable, he settles her into his lap and lets her cry. Her head is tucked under his chin and he can feel where her tears have soaked the shoulder of his tunic. He contents himself with stroking a hand gently through her hair, hoping she'll calm down enough to talk to him soon.

….

He's not sure how long he dozed off for, but there's no sunlight peeking in around the shutters anymore so he figures it's been at least an hour or two. Cami literally cried herself to sleep in his lap and he followed not long behind her, still tired from his illness.

He shifts a bit so he can see his wife. Her eyes are dark-ringed from her sleepless night and puffy from crying but the rest of her face looks peaceful. He ardently hopes that this isn't how she'll respond for the entire duration of her pregnancy; he's not sure how to handle a weepy woman and he doesn't really want to have to get used to it. He wants his spitfire back. He'd even prefer her screaming at him publicly to crying until it wears her down so much.

His stomach starts to loudly protest a long day without food and it causes Cami to stir. He smiles at her when she blinks up at him sleepily.

She wraps her arms around him tightly and he can barely hear her murmuring against his throat, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm like this…"

He cups her face and tugs gently until she meets his eyes, "You're pregnant, and you're not expected to be rational right now."

Her lip quivers and tears well in her eyes again, "I should have just told you. I wasn't sure and I kept hoping the weather would clear enough for me to go visit Gothi. And then I ruined it by yelling it at you…"

She not showing any signs of quitting her rambling so he leans down and captures her lips with his own, smiling when she continues to mumble against his lips for a few seconds before she finally kisses him back. He doesn't stop until she's wrapped her arms around him and leaned into him pliantly. When he finally pulls his mouth away from hers, he can feel the hitch in his lungs but he ignores it to lean his forehead against hers.

"I don't care that you yelled it at me, I was thrilled anyways. I didn't really get to celebrate the moment though. Didn't want dad hearing and spreading it around the village before I even got a chance to hear it properly from you."

A smile finally breaks through the serious expression she's been wearing, "You are going to be a father…"

She cuts off with a small squeal because he wraps her up in a tight hug. "Thank you."

She's confused now, "For what? Not screaming it at you this time?"

"No, for giving me a family. I know you could have kept this from happening, and you know I would never have asked you to carry a child if you were opposed to the idea."

Now it's her turn to smile gently, "Hiccup, from the second I agreed to marry you I knew this would eventually happen. Whether we were in Berk, on Koen's lands, or on the run because of broken treaties I knew we'd have children one day."

He leans back in the chair and she cuddles against his shoulder. Once she's settled he reaches his hand around to lay it against her still flat belly, and he swears he has a death wish but he smirks into her hair and teases her gently, "You do know there's a good chance you're carrying twins?"

She whips around to face him with a glare on her face and he can't help laughing.

She jumps up off of his lap, "That isn't even funny, Hiccup! Please tell me you're kidding!"

He hefts himself out of the chair and wraps an arm around her again. "Well, Koen was my mother's twin, and one of the pregnancies Avita lost was twins, so it does seem to run in that side of my family."

She's pouting now, "If it's twins I'm not doing this again!"

He grins at her before deciding his belly isn't waiting any longer and starting to poke around in the kitchen for something he can make them for dinner. "I wouldn't ask you to do it again whether it's one babe or a whole litter of them."

He can't see her face since he's facing the cupboard she uses as a pantry, but he hears the concern in her voice, "What if it's a girl?"

He turns to face her, "Then we have a daughter."

She looks annoyed for a second before the worry crosses her face again, "Yes I know that, but won't your father and the rest of the tribe expect you to have a son? Berk's like Bashem in that they wouldn't accept a female leader."

His face hardens, "I'd better not hear any stupidity like that. You should have been the future Chieftess of Bashem, not your idiot half-brother. I won't let anybody tell my oldest child they can't lead just because they were born female. Besides, I haven't decided if I can deal with staying here or not."

She holds her peace for a few minutes while he's starting to assemble a quick soup for them. It's times like this she wishes she might have had a bit more of a conventional upbringing for a girl, because it stings her pride a bit that her husband is a better cook than she is.

He looks over to her, "I'm not allowed out of the house for the next two weeks, can you go out to the cold box and bring in some sort of meat or fish?"

She seems a bit surprised that he's been restricted because he looks healthy to her now that his fever's broken, "Of course I can. Is there a reason you're not allowed out?"

He snorts, "Gothi and Kairi are being overprotective worriers, but I'm playing along."

When she returns a few moments later carrying a chicken he gives her a questioning look.

"Your father stopped by for a bit while Gothi was with Luka. He brought me a few chickens, said he figured I was sick of fish by now since we didn't have time to establish chickens out here before it got too cold."

He immediately feels suspicious of the older man's actions, but forces a deep breath to calm himself down. He's promised he's going to watch his reactions towards his father rather than assuming the worst.

"Oh, he didn't mention he stopped by when he brought Gothi back."

Cami isn't fooled for a second by his casual tone, "He brought chickens for all of us. Wanted to make sure my little flu wasn't getting worse, stopped by to make sure Sven was getting along OK on his ankle, took care of the dragons for the day. He wasn't trying to take over or looking for a way to discredit you. He was just being a Chief. We don't live in Berk Village but we do live on Berk and he's technically our Chief now, you know? He feels responsible for us."

And now he feels horrible because there is proof positive he's conditioned himself to always think the worst of his own father. Of course he was just stopping in to check on everybody, he does that for all of the villagers between storms. Hiccup wonders if his father hadn't come out to check on them before this because the older man worried about offending him. Cami sees his shoulders slump and knows exactly what he's thinking. She walks over and wraps her arms around his waist from behind, "It's going to take you some time to be more objective toward him, Hiccup. And I'm sure he'll slip and say something stupid to you again, which won't help. Neither of you can turn off fifteen years of bad memories in less than a year."

He knows she's right, and just like when Sven pointed out his standoffishness to him, he resolves to himself that he's going to try harder. If he can't repair things with his father, it won't be because he didn't give it an honest try.


	19. Author's Note 2

Hey friends,

It's been a long time, and I'm so sorry but real life has intervened. Between trying to settle my grandfather's new living situation, moving my own, looking for a job, and losing a family member last month… I haven't had the time or really any desire to sit down and write for a while now.

Truthfully, I'm suffering a wee bit of clinical depression over all of this mess, and the upcoming Holidays are making it worse because this will be the first year we don't have a "family Christmas". My uncle is dragging Grandpa to his wife's family. My sister, brother in law, and nephew are staying home since they're almost 3 hours away and we have no official plans as a whole family. My youngest sister I haven't heard anything from. My mother will be with her boyfriend's family… leaving me, the hubs, and the heathens all on our lonesome for the first time ever. Thanksgiving was awful because we were alone, now Christmas is gonna be the same and it makes me not-a-happy-camper.

Once all of this shit settles down, and I get past this nasty funk I seem to have fallen into, I'll get back to writing. I'm determined to finish this story, I just don't have it in me at the moment.

Everybody have a happy Holiday, a great New Year and I'll see you in 2016.

Sage


	20. Author's Note 3

Yes. I know. Bad author. VERY, very bad. I promise, still not abandoning this story, but guys… I have had one Hell of a bad year. TL/DR version: my life has completely sucked ass for the last 11 months.

Long Version:

I had to start taking my son to a behavioral psychologist because he went from this sweet, wonderful little boy that loved learning to this demon-spawn that was on the verge of being expelled from school in the 1st grade. After I made it through the Holidays from Hell last year, he just became this entirely different child. His behavior cost me a job and the ability to look for a new one, I had to be on hand at all times because I never knew when the next phone call from the principal was coming telling me he was suspended again, to come get him off of school property immediately.

He nearly cost us everything. He told the school if they suspended him again, that his dad would punch him in the face (would NEVER happen) so I ended up dealing with Child Services and the local police. Nothing came of that and both cases were closed without prejudice against my husband and I, but Christ on a cracker… I thought I was gonna lose my kids and that is some scary motherfucking shit.

Then came all of the Dr's appointments and therapy appointments and behaviorists and medical trials… I have never felt so useless or so helpless in my life. I couldn't fix my son, all I could do was listen to all of these people argue over what was wrong with him and what to do about it… that took up my entire spring and summer. And for some reason, he'd taken it into his head that his 1st grade teacher hated him so he absolutely refused to work with her or for her.

|Finally got a diagnosis: ADHD and severe ODD. Great. Just in time to try medications for 2nd grade to start. First day he took the meds, when he came down off of it he had a violent outburst. Punched his sister in the face and a few minutes later couldn't tell me WHY he was mad at her. Unfortunately, our insurance changed and no longer covers mental health care… so we can't go back to the psychologist again… we have to rely on the MD's to sort all of this shit out now.

But the good thing is that so far, he's been doing OK with school. He's had a couple of bad days, but nothing like last year. Although his dick of a principal told me that everything from last year is gonna be held against him for the rest of his school career. Meaning, he yelled at his teacher during a bad moment and he got 3 days of ISS for it… and that was his last chance for the year. The next time he has a bad day, they're suspending him.

From last December to now (nearly a full year) my entire life has been wrapped up in helping my son, moving, dealing with my daughter becoming a moody little teenager, dealing with my husband's company making a 10% nation-wide staffing cut to their IT department and him being demoted back down to call center over that…

I honestly did try to write a few chapters, but they were so horrible and went places I never wanted this story to go just because of all of the shit happening in my own life… I stopped trying when school let out last June and decided to just wait for things to calm down. I should have posted another author's note but I'd been so busy dealing with everybody else that I never took care of me and I ended up so far into depression that my husband was begging me just to eat and shower. I seriously wanted to do nothing but lay in bed all day for about 3 months. I'm still not completely over it. I stay up til 5 or 6 in the morning, he gets the kids ready for school, and I sleep until noon… I know it's not healthy but it's how I've been coping.

I'm gonna start trying to write the next chapter again. I'm not making any promises other than I still intend to finish this story. I may not be able to do it the justice it really deserves, but I am going to start forcing myself to write again.

Thank you for not unfollowing it and walking away. I wouldn't have blamed you a bit.

Ironically, this update is the longest thing I've written since the last chapter posted. I don't know whether that makes me want to laugh or to cry… But I have an hour before my heathens get home, tea, and solitude. I'm starting chapter 18 as soon as I post this update.

Sage


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